Jewels οf Love: Silver and Gold - Touchable dream
by melan anime
Summary: My first story for my Jewels of Love challenge:Gold is warm, Silver is cold; but both are strong and precious metals. Properties which are hard to find in people and if you do find someone so valuable for you, don't flinch to show up your real feelings because the consequences of a wrong decision can be final. RavenKnightShipping and sequel to "Deep in her heart". RxR please!
1. Invitation

_This story is focusing on Crow x Sherry relationship. I noticed there are few stories with this couple and since I'm really into this shipping, I decided to write more, because I never get enough with those two. So seat back and relax my RavenKnightShipping fans. Enjoy my story :)_

_Head – canon and post – cannon story and also a sequel to "Deep in her heart". It's not really necessary to ready this story first but sure it will be better if you do._

_Disclaimer 1: I don't own the cover image! I found it on the Internet so the credit goes to the original artist!_

_Disclaimer 2: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! I own the title and the plot of this story!_

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**Chapter 1 ********–** Invitation

_Crow's POV_

"That was the last package," I muttered, wiping my forehead.

I shut down the engine and got off my duel runner, walking a little to rest my feet and stretch my legs. It was the hour of twilight and it found me deep in the Satellite area, a couple of blocks away from Martha's.

"Man!" I said out loud to myself. "I think it's time for the Black Bird delivery to retire for the night," I added, checking the time from my cell phone.

I grinned. Since I was this close, it would be a shame not to visit my little orphans. I hadn't seen them for awhile now and I had to make sure they weren't causing Martha any trouble. I smiled slyly. If I went there without them knowing, it would be a perfect opportunity to check how well they were behaving…although I knew them quite well and I was sure those kids were like little angels, unlike me and my friends.

I rubbed the back of my head awkwardly as I remembered Martha's words about how hard a time me, Yusei, and Jack gave her when we were little.

I got back on my d-wheel and sped off, picking the fastest route to Martha's... when I decided to make a small detour.

It had been many years since I had visited my old lair near Daedalus Bridge and it wouldn't be a bad idea for such a delay to pass by my old neighborhood. But a surprise was awaiting me at the root of the legendary Bridge. I saw a female presence with long blond hair.

"Sherry?" I exclaimed, astonished, riding closer to her.

It had only been a couple of weeks since the last time I had seen her at the Ark Cradle. Actually, I had seen her a couple of times from a distance on the road or downtown. I scanned the area. Mizoguchi was nowhere to be seen. This time Sherry was all alone.

She jumped and placed one hand on her chest. "Crow?!" she said after she recognized me. "You scared me!"

"I guess I have a talent for that." I grinned as I remembered a few months ago, when I had spotted her near the road, gazing at the sunset far on the horizon. I here scared her back then too.

She managed a slight smile. After our little walk and our conversation, her behavior, at least toward me, had change for the better. Apart from Z-one's brain wash, she was less angry and she wasn't glaring at me like she wanted to hit me.

"What are you doing here?" she asked softly.

"I was delivering the last of the mail and packages today. But I think I'm going to end Blackbird Delivery soon," I shared my thoughts with her.

"Why, did you find another one?"

I nodded. "Yup!"

"And I can tell that this is a better job too, huh?" she predicted.

"It sure is."

She shrugged. "So… what are you gonna do?"

"Ummm," I hummed, avoiding her gaze. "It's a little weird… my new job I mean." She lifted an eyebrow. "You won't believe me if I tell you."

"You think I'm going to laugh?" Sherry asked confusedly. "Come on, if it's a decent job then you have no reason to be ashamed."

I shifted my weight from one leg to another. "It's not that I'm ashamed," I explained. "Well let's just say that you'll find it hard to believe since it's…well, me."

"Come on Crow," she prompted. "I have no reason not to believe you. You're not the kind of person who would lie only to impress a woman like me," she released a light chuckle. "Now what is this job?" she asked again in a way that made me realize I couldn't refuse her the answer without putting my physical integrity under fire.

"Alright," I flinched. "It's a little embarrassing, actually… but they offered me a job as a member of the police."

She stared at me with wide eyes and let her jaw drop. I must have really shocked her.

"I know it's odd," I added hastily. "A marked man like me taking highway patrols. The world must have turned upside down." I scratched the back of my head awkwardly.

"Well I admit that I never expected to hear something like this, but congratulations on your new job!" she said, still in astonishment. "So when do the patrols begin?"

"Next week," I grinned.

"That's nice. So starting next week, the roads will be in danger," she joked, trying to hide her smile.

Unlike her, I smiled widely. "Hey!" I pretended I was hurt by her words.

"Relax, I'm just messing with you," she explained and glanced away.

We were left in an awkward silence. I strove to think of something to start a conversation.

"So…" I cleared my throat. "What are you doing here?" I asked the first thing that came up in my mind.

"Just a walk."

Maybe her answer was casual, but I noticed that she avoided looking me in the eyes. Moreover, even with the lack of light, I could swear I saw her blushing a little. I wondered why…

"So…" she took a deep breath."Next week you will wear a police uniform and you just finished with your deliveries…" she turned to look at me again. "Where are you going now? Back home to get some sleep?"

I shook my head. "Actually I was headed to Martha's place. It's been a while. I haven't seen my little orphans."

"You really care about those kids, don't you?"

Surprised, I raised my eyebrows. "Of course! I'm like their older brother and I love them as much as they love me," I replied softly.

"You took care of them. Of course they love you."

I sensed something strange in her voice; some sort of emotion that I couldn't explain. I placed my hand on my chin, thinking and looking at her closely. She was really beautiful, but she was looked like she was waiting. She was waiting on something or waiting for me to say or do something. This woman really was a mystery.

"You want to come with me to Martha's?" I asked her without a second though. _Man!_ I wanted to slap my mouth. What I was thinking asking her that?

"What?" she gasped.

Now that I thought about it, it was not that bad of an idea. "Do you want to come with me?"

She hesitated a little, looking away. "I don't think I can come with you."

"Why? What's wrong with coming with me?"

She glared at me in a look of, "you-know-what's-wrong," but I was still puzzled. She rolled her eyes.

"So…?" I prompted.

"I can't go there uninvited." she explained. A chuckle escaped my lips before I managed to hold it back. "What is so funny?" she narrowed her eyes and threw me a death glare.

I grinned. "That's not a problem at all, Sherry, because I'm driving myself there uninvited too."

"So let me get this straight," she looked like she was trying to keep from laughing. "You are inviting me to go with you uninvited to your old place."

"That's right," I winked and she lifted an eyebrow. "You want to come?"

She scrutinized me and I could tell that there might be hope of a positive answer since she didn't reject my proposal right away. To me, Sherry looked like she was still thinking about it.

"C'mon! I'll introduce you to my little orphans too," I started the engine. "They're not a huge pain, at least not all the time."

Glancing away, she took a deep breath.

"Come," I pushed her again and this time she gave up on deciding.

"Okay," she shrugged. "I'll come with you," she got on her d-wheel, and put her helmet back on.

"Great! Follow me," I exclaimed.

"How bad could it be?" she wondered in low voice and I laughed.

* * *

_Yay! First chapter is over! what you think? You liked it hated it? :)_

_Special thanks to my lovely betas __RedShoeParade__ and __BlackRoseDragonCK__!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822 (remove spaces). You will find my OCs sketches for my upcoming story too ;)_

_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	2. Family

**Chapter 2 – Family**

_Sherry's POV_

'_How bad could this be?_' I wondered, sitting on the front yard. My elbows were on my knees, and I was resting my chin in my hands.

All I wanted was a nice and peaceful ride. Yet I had agreed to follow him into the exact opposite place on earth. But it wasn't _that_ bad, I dare say. Crow had introduced me to Martha and Saiga and both of them had treated me politely.

Crow's foster mother offered me something to drink along with her handmade cookies, which tasted exactly like my mother's. Even though I had come uninvited, she welcomed me into her home with open arms. I really liked her. Crow seemed to have absorbed some of her kindness toward other people.

The orphans on the other hand were more like a pain in the neck. They were so annoying and yet so adorable. To my surprise, I found myself enjoying their company—even their yells and giggles. Those kids who had been marked by Zero Reverse now looked so happy and acted hilariously. In fact, they never shut their little mouths. But I guessed it was OK, since the air was filled with laughter and cheerful chatter instead of cries and such.

I used to be like them when I was little. I managed a slight smile, remembering myself laughing that loud on my dad's lap while he played with me. It was such a pleasant memory…me climbing in my dad's arms, smiling and giggling as he tickled me. I remembered liking it so much and that I had both tried to avoid him and stay still so he could tickle me more. I had had a happy life with the perfect family.

Then, my smile froze on my lips as I remembered both of my parents on the floor and covered with blood. I shivered, feeling my heart beating faster.

"Come on, Sherry!"

Hearing happy voices calling my name, I blinked in surprised. A small brown ball landed on my lap. I held it in both of my hands, staring at it as if I had never seen a ball in my life.

"You're supposed to throw it back," the boy who, if I wasn't mistaken, was named Ginga explained.

"Play with us, Sherry!" the girl called Kokoro pleaded. She raised her little hands in the air, ready to catch the ball.

"Throw it to me," Daichi yelled, waving his hands at the same time.

"Me!" Ginga pointed at himself.

"What are you playing?" I asked, a little dizzy from all the noise.

"Ah! How boring…" Taiga huffed. "Why do all women need explanations on how to play a game?"

I lifted an eyebrow. This little kid had guts. I had faced murderers and thieves with great success and here I was now, being told off by a ten or eleven-year-old boy.

"We're playing apples, Sherry," Hikari informed me.

"Ah! Leave her," Taiga said again. "Women aren't good with games."

"I'm very good!" I fired back. "Thank you very much." I couldn't believe that I was letting this kid piss me off.

"Then prove it!" the boy challenged me.

I grunted and threw the ball into the air. The kids started to cheer and clapped their hands, running and trying to catch it before the others did. I smiled lightly.

"I did it!" Hikari exclaimed as she threw the ball back to me.

"Again!" the kids requested. I looked away from them, trying to find a way out.

"Hey, hey, give her a break," Crow appeared and I sighed in relief. "You're not being very polite," he scolded them calmly. The kids pouted.

"You don't have to lecture them, Crow," I assured him. "They were just playing with me," I added and the kids flashed me huge smiles and cheers.

"Alright," Crow threw me a quick look. "You are lucky this time to have Sherry to watch your back. Now tell me…what exactly did you say about women and games, Taiga?"

"Umm," the boy put his hands in his pockets and looked down at his shoes, awkwardly kicking the ground.

"Well? I'm not hearing anything young man," Crow crossed his arms over his chest, tapping his foot at the same time. I tried to hold back a chuckle. He looked so funny when he was trying to play boss.

"I-I just wanted to make Sherry to play with us…" the boy confessed, looking down with red cheeks. "A-and she was asking all those questions instead of throwing the ball…"

"Well," Crow's face softened. "Maybe she's too tired to play with you…" but his voice was drowned out by theirs' they all started yelling simultaneously.

"You're tired, Sherry?"

"You wanna go to bed?"

I lost my voice to their sudden attack, even if it was for my own good. I supposed I was definitely not used to little kids around me. I dared admit that they were tougher opponents than assassins and spies.

Crow face-palmed. "Guys!" he shouted and immediately the kids hushed. I looked at him admiringly. He certainly had a way with them. "What I meant was maybe Sherry is tired and she doesn't need you yelling and messing with her," Crow explained.

"Oh, we're sorry, Sherry," Hikari lamented. The other kids hurried to follow her example.

"Yes, we're sorry."

"We didn't know."

"It's OK," I assured them, only to make them hush.

"Alright, now take your ball and go somewhere else to play," Crow threw the ball in the air and the kids started yelling as they ran to catch it.

"Sorry about that," Crow smiled, offering me a cup of tea. I took it slowly.

"It's OK," I repeated. This time I meant it. "They are kids after all and they seem to respect you a lot too."

"You think so?" he looked a little stiff.

I nodded. "Absolutely! The way you handled Taiga was really impressive."

"T-thanks," Crow mumbled, blushing a little.

"You've done a great job with them. You treat them like they are actually your family."

"They _are_ my family," Crow emphasized. "But as you said, they are kids and sometimes they can be mischievous," he turned his gaze, looking them, and sighed. "I remember when I first met them years ago," he sounded as if he was talking to himself. "They were so scared. They barely smiled and I did my best to keep them happy."

"I can see that," I commented. He looked at me in confusion.

I ran my hand over one of his markers.

"Aw! Yeah," he pointed at his marked face with a hint of sadness in his voice. "At least now they're smiling and laughing more."

"All because of you," I concluded. I knew I was right.

"Never turn your back on a family member," he murmured, turning his eyes and staring at me.

"Watch out!" one of the kids shouted. I jumped lightly as their ball covered my visual field and slammed into Crow's head.

"Ack!" Yelping, he nearly fell off the chair.

"Crow, are you OK?" I laughed, unable to hold back my giggle. "Mischievous... I think kids are unpredictable too."

"Yes, they are."

"Oh, I'm so sorry big bro Crow," Daichi's face as he adopted a pose that was ready for Crow's chastisement.

"Nah, Nah I'm ok," Crow rubbed the back of his head at the spot where the ball had hit him. "Just make sure you don't break anything," he picked up the ball and threw it back to the kids. "Otherwise Martha will be really angry, OK?" he warned.

"Yes!" the kids responded all together and started playing apples again.

"Phew!" Daichi huffed, wiping his forehead. "It's good that the blonde lady is here, because Crow is less strict with us."

I peered at the young man standing beside me who was getting really wide-eyed as his cheeks gained a light red color. I held back a giggle.

"I heard that little man!" he shouted with a warning tone. Instantly, the boy shut his mouth. Crow was really making some magic with them.

"Umm, Crow?" the youngest girl approached. "Can… I ask you something...?" she inquired sheepishly, knitting her fingers and looking down.

I kept my eyes on Crow, waiting to see how he would handle her strange behavior.

"What is it?" he didn't lose his smile and encouraged Kokoro to speak again.

She took a deep breath. "Is…is Sherry your girlfriend?" she finally asked and I gasped as Crow blinked couple of times.

"What?" he asked absolutely astonished. His face gained a crimson red hue.

Even if I was surprised as well, it was impossible to keep myself from bursting into laughter. Yes! Kids were mischievous and unpredictable and I really wanted to know how he would handle this.

* * *

_I love the orphans, Kokoro is so cute!_

_Special thanks to my lovely betas __RedShoeParade__ and __BlackRoseDragonCK__!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822 (remove spaces). You will find my OCs sketches for my upcoming story too ;)_

_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	3. Warm feelings

**Chapter 3 – Warm feelings**

_Sherry's POV_

'_Why is it so hard to text a few simple words_?' I thought irritated with myself as I held my cell phone.

It was hard because there were so many things I wanted to write. I wished I could tell him in person instead of through a faceless message. But my time was quite limited, so I had no other option.

"My lady?"

"Hmm?" I hummed, lifting my head to look upon my loyal servant in the next seat.

"Is everything OK, my lady?" Mizoguchi asked.

Replying with a vague but positive tone, I turned my attention back to my message. _Damn_! It was too hard to choose the _right_ words...the _perfect_ words.

"You had better get some sleep, my lady," my flight companion said softly. He leaned back into his seat, closing his eyes.

I tried to stifle a yawn. His proposal wasn't such a bad idea. I hadn't slept at all the past few days. Worst of all, when I had some time to sleep _he_ kept me awake. He and his stupid but right words, his stupid but adorable little friends, his stupid but cozy home and his stupid but...I couldn't believe I was saying this, but extremely gorgeous grin. He kept my mind _busy_.

I was a little disappointed leaving so fast, but I had some things to settle in Paris. If I knew him well, he would understand. I wished he would. I hoped for his own good, since he was an idiot. But idiot or not, I had to give him some credit. Crow Hogan was also a caring and understanding guy— not to mention funny. I gave him this since I loved his ability. He could make me laugh easily…and maybe he was the only one who could see that I wasn't a rude or mean person.

That was another thing I loved about him. He was, without a doubt, the only person on the entire planet who could see the true _me_. To be honest, I really wasn't sure if I loved his ability to see through me, but it definitely made me wonder what else he could see about me and my character. Was he smart enough to reach that deeply in my heart?

I pursed my lips to keep from laughing. _No, he's not that smart…or is he_? I shook my head. That man's character was like a puzzle. Sure, he was stubborn enough to keep trying but another riddle for me to solve was why he wanted to know me a little better? Was I so interesting that he felt the need to bother me even though I said no? Sure, he cared about the others, especially the unprotected little orphans, but I wasn't them.

For his actions and for taking all those orphans under his wing, I had started seeing him with a clearer eye. He took care of many miserable kids and tried hard to bring back the smiles on their small faces. Not to mention that he did all of this at an age when he was in need of someone to take care of _him_. But good people like him were never left behind in their luck of faith. I smiled lightly, thinking that he _did_ find someone. He had found Martha, Jack, and Yusei— a foster-mother and real friends that now he considered his brothers.

He was a lucky guy; he had lost everything in his life, but he had found more and now he had a great life, a nice job, and a great number of friends. I had lost everything too, but unlike him, I was still alone. I shivered and bit my lip at the thought. Yes, I had Mizoguchi and his loyalty meant a lot to me. If it wasn't for him, I would probably be dead by now. But I dared admit that I envied Crow for his big happy family.

When I had first met him, I thought he was just a stupid and funny person—not interesting enough to catch my attention. There was also the fact that in those days, my entire being had been focused on something else…_my_ _revenge_. I didn't waste my time on idiotic people like him.

Yusei, on the other hand, was an interesting target to examine and learn more about. When I had, I had tried to convince him to join my team. Of course he had rejected my offer and only now did I understand why. If the bonds with your friends are as strong as Yusei's and Crow's, then it's just impossible to leave them.

'_Never turn your back on a family member,'_ he had said to me; wise words from such a stupid guy.

Oh well, maybe he was not that stupid. But he was a bit thick and stubborn to keep risking his physical integrity against my bad temper. But not only had he managed to walk away alive and unspoiled, but his stupidity and stubbornness had somehow affected me. He had awakened some strange feelings inside me—feelings that I never thought I had. Now I couldn't focus my mind on anything else but him. The stupid, loving, caring, annoying, clever, stubborn, affectionate, funny, kind, idiotic, but awesome guy named Crow Hogan.

'_Damn! Is he all those things? Is it possible that I'm starting to have warm feelings about him?'_ I shook my head confusedly.

It had been years since the last time I'd ever felt warmth in my heart. Now, not only was my heart beating faster…but it was beating differently than it ever had before.

He had showed me another side of life, one with less darkness and pain. He… he had made me _laugh_… he had brought back my smile, the smile I had lost years ago the night I saw my parents dead. He had made me forget all of the negative turn of my life, every hurtful memory, every painful feeling. He had done all this only with _his_ warming smile, with _his_ pure, caring feelings toward me. He…had made me _happy_.

The strangest thing wasn't that I might have some warm feelings for him, but the fact that I had warm feelings at all. But strange or not, I liked this new sensation. I liked spending time with him—I even liked his stupid jokes and his annoying grin. I liked the way he saw everything and when I was with him, I could see the world through his eyes. It was a totally different world than the one I saw with my own eyes. His world was brighter and prettier, full of potential, full of friends who were more than a family, and of course, his world was full of love.

I would be a fool if I didn't think that his world was far better than mine. My world was dark, painful, and lonely I had no friends, no family, and no love—only my undead hate in a fortress of loneliness. My hate kept me alive and my inexhaustible source of pain for my loss made me keep going. My revenge was the purpose of my life. I was ready to sacrifice anything to heal my injured heart; even my own life or everyone else's lives.

At the Ark Cradle, Z-one had offered me what I desired most: _a second chance to live my life with my parents_. Crow had helped me then along with Aki. But the first time Crow had showed me his kindness occurred a couple of months before the Ark Cradle incident (**_A/N_**_: from "Deep in her heart"_). He offered me a nice walk in the park and I had to admit that he had really tried his best that day to make me relax a little. To my surprise, he succeeded. Of course, he was threatened by me several times, but he didn't cower and his insistence was enough to make me open up and trust him enough to speak about my life.

That was the first time I had gotten the chance to know him a little better and he was able to learn about me too. I entrusted him some things that Mizoguchi didn't even know. I didn't know what made me trust him enough to tell him such personal information, but I didn't regret it at all. In fact, I enjoyed our walk and our conversations. I wanted to spend more time with him.

He seemed like he really cared about me and I liked that. After my parents' death, only Mizoguchi was left to care for me. I knew I owed him a lot. With Crow, I felt different. His smile, his eyes, the way he stared at me, even his blush were somehow making me want more. Maybe he was having some warms feeling for me. I didn't care if I did have warm feelings for him…because I liked it.

I took a deep breath as I finally typed my message. Sending it, I lay back in my seat, closing my eyes to get some sleep.

'_Mark my words, Crow Hogan and for your own good, don't forget about me,'_ I thought as I started to lose myself to the dream world. '_I may be leaving Neo Domino for a while, but I will come back to see you_ _again._'

* * *

_Yeah Crow you better not forget her!_

_Special thanks to my lovely betas __RedShoeParade__ and __BlackRoseDragonCK__!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: __www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822__ (remove spaces). You will find my OCs sketches for my upcoming story too ;)_

_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	4. Distract

**Chapter 4 – Distract**

_Crow's POV_

"_I'm on a flight to France. Mizoguchi and I have some… things to settle, so I will be busy for the next couple of weeks. We'll have that walk you suggested when I come back to Neo Domino. Thanks for everything and I hope to see you again soon—Sherry."_

I sighed, feeling somehow sad and disappointed. So, she had left. I had wanted to spend more time with her. That was why I had asked her if she would like to go out with me one day for a friendly walk. To my surprise, she had said yes—after I had promised her she would have a good time that is. I had already been planning our next ride, but apparently I had to face the truth—an awful truth I had to say. My chances at seeing her again had dropped dramatically.

In another city, actually in another country, with her mind busy with so many different things, I was sure there would be no time to wonder what old Crow Hogan was doing… not to mention the fact that all the distance that would separate us for the next few weeks would quite possibly make her forget about me completely.

The thought alone was a notion that made me sick to my stomach. Shaking my head, I felt my heart pound laboriously in my chest like a heavy weight rested atop it, making it work even harder. I took a deep breath.

"Face it, Crow Hogan," I murmured to myself. "You are not going to-"

"Big bro Crow!"

"Crow!"

Loud voices cut my thoughts and I lifted my gaze from my phone. Looking down from the window of my old room, I saw the little kids in the front yard.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Come down and play with us!" Kokoro pleaded, looking at me with a puppy dog eyes. I managed a slight smile.

"It's already late," I informed her. "Its nightfall and you should come inside too," I said. The kids pouted.

"Come on, big bro Crow!" Hikari whined.

"Just a little?" Taiga pleaded.

"No," I stated ignoring their entreaties. "Martha will be serving dinner soon."

A hum of disappointment filled the air, but I didn't change my mind. "Come inside and don't forget to wash your hands, OK?"

"We always wash our hands," Ginga announced with pride.

"Then you deserve congratulations," I grinned.

"Big bro Crow, will you tell us the story about the legendary duelist?" Kokoro requested.

"Again?" Taiga winced.

"Come on, Kokoro, you're too old to hear that story," Daichi scoffed and I pursed my lips.

"Why?" Kokoro turned to face them. "What's wrong with it?"

"Hey, stop messing with her, guys," I scolded them softly. "And of course I'll tell you the story again if you like. Now come inside."

"Okay!" they replied in one voice. I couldn't help but smile.

Slowly, I turned and headed into the kitchen to help Martha.

"Is something bothering you Crow?" my foster-mother asked, noticing my sullen expression.

"W-what?" I retorted, feeling heat spreading across my checks. "Oh no… I-I'm fine," I lied. I hurried to carry the dishes to the large table.

Lifting an eyebrow, Martha looked at me in a I-know-that-you-are-lying way. To my relief, she let it pass.

The kids entered the kitchen in hurry, yelling and laughing at the same time.

"Did you guys washed your hands?" I asked, looking at them strictly.

"Big Bro Crow, you forgot already?" Hikari looked at me closely as she knitted her eyebrows.

"Forgot what?" Confused, I scratched the back of my head.

The kids started giggling.

"Crow, we always wash our hands," Ginga explained.

"Ah! Oh yeah, that's right…" I chuckled awkwardly.

That information must have gone in one ear and out the other since I had already been preoccupied with something else. I sighed heavily as we all took a seat at the table.

"What's wrong, big bro Crow?" Taiga asked.

"Yeah," Daichi hurried to agree. "What's been distracting you so much?"

"Is this about the blonde lady?" Hikari winked meaningfully and I blushed.

"What are you talking about?" I reacted immediately, raising my voice a little. The kids started laughing hysterically. I rolled my eyes.

"Well?" Martha cleared her throat and started serving dinner. "Where is this beautiful lady we met before?"

My breath caught. "Ummm…"

"Sherry," Martha continued. "She seems really nice. You should invite her over sometime."

"I don't know, Martha," I rubbed the back of my neck, avoiding looking in her eyes. "She's on a flight to France to settle some stuff… so…" I paused elusively.

"Don't worry, Crow," she comforted me. "She'll be back soon, I hope. So when are you going to see her again?"

"No idea," I shrugged. I lifted my fork, but Martha's words resounded in my head. '_When will I see her again_?' I let my fork fall back on the table and sighed deeply.

'_Face It, Crow Hogan'_ I thought bitterly. '_You are not going to see her again,'_ I finished and tried to swallow the lump in my throat.

Suddenly, I wasn't hungry at all.

"Why aren't you eating, big bro Crow?" Hikari pulled me out of my thoughts.

I lifted my head. All my little orphans were looking at me with wonder.

"Yup," Daichi gushed. "Are you sick, big bro Crow?"

"Come on, Crow," Martha stared at me. "Don't tell me you don't like my food…" Something in her voice made me realize she wanted to ask something else. Knowing Martha, I bet she had already figured out what was keeping me distracted.

She winked and I face-palmed. "I'm fine," I exclaimed, trying to hide my nervousness and my red cheeks. "It's just… I'm… I'm not that hungry."

Worst-excuse-ever but at least it was also the truth. Martha lifted one eyebrow, looking at me in the same way she had earlier. I chewed my lip. There was no way to get way from Martha and her motherly intuition. She was talented at reading others, especially when it came to heartbreak situations.

I bit my lip harder. It wasn't that I was head over heels for Sherry. Come on, I barely knew her for crying out loud! I just liked spending time with her and I wanted to help her with her feelings about her past. That was all. I supposed I felt a little protective toward her because she reminded me of my little orphans. She was like them—a little girl who wanted to feel loved again.

"Eat, Big bro Crow," little Kokoro insisted. I lifted an eyebrow. "If don't eat your food then I won't eat mine either," she stated flatly, crossing her little arms over her chest.

I stared at the red-haired girl, irritated. She returned my gaze with determination. _Man!_ Sometimes kids could prove themselves really annoying. But knowing her, she was just worried about me. I couldn't stay angry with her, especially when she looked at me like this. After all, Kokoro was the youngest of the kid…and my soft spot.

I groaned slowly. "Ok," I flinched. I stabbed a mushroom on my plate with my fork and threw it into my mouth. It was delicious. "Happy now?" I smirked.

"Yep!" the youngest girl flashed a huge smile and started eating again. I rolled my eyes.

'_Hmm, I need a little privacy here,_' I thought. But with all these kids around me and worrying about me, I thought I would be able to stop thinking about Sherry easily. They would keep my mind off her.

Unfortunately, I was so wrong. I didn't manage to get Sherry out of my head—not even for one day…and she was going to be out of town for six weeks.

* * *

_Aw Crow you think you can fool yourself. She really caught your eye for sure!_

_Special thanks to my lovely betas __RedShoeParade__ and __BlackRoseDragonCK__!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822 (remove spaces). You will find my OCs sketches for my upcoming story too ;)_

_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	5. Back home

**Chapter 5 – Back home**

_Sherry's POV_

I thought a couple of weeks would prove enough, but at the end I needed one and a half month to settle down everything and conclude by all my outstanding matters around the world. Yliaster belong to my past now so I need no spies working for me, gathering information.

It was really six painful and awful weeks with no much of sleep and rest, not to mention that all those matters was far away from the pleasant characterization. But everything is settled and I won't have to dial with any of my previous undercover cases ever again. My undercover identity is no longer needed and I wonder if I ever miss this strange feeling when someone is calling me Eva. I smirked; I guess no one will ever address to me using my code name again.

I sink into the couch as my eyelids began to weigh like I was ready for bed. The sweet world of dreams began to calling me and I was ready to accept its invitation, when I heard the door open. My eyes widen with force and I slowly and somewhat hazily sit up on the couch. Mizoguchi entered our hotel's room holding a puffy folder.

"Is everything ready?" I inquired from the comfort sofa. I knew his answer already.

"Everything is ready my lady," my loyal servant replied leaving the folder at the small table near the couch and placed himself at the armchair.

I stretched out my hand to catch the folder and I brought it in my lap opening it, "this is the entire file?" I asked checking the inside.

"Yes," Mizoguchi assured, "Everything is in there; contracts, agreements, all the lists with old collaborators and their profiles, along with their full data of their services. All arranged, no pending."

I sighed in relief. "You did a great job," I congratulated him moderately.

"My pleasure," he dipped his head. "Now that everything is over we can returned back to Japan." It wasn't a question, but a simple fact.

His words awake something strange and gentle, but also powerful inside me and sped up my heartbeats. I have a reason to feel like this every time the words home, Japan and Neo Domino, were entering our conversations even though I was trying to push this feeling away. I tried to maintain cool but I couldn't hide a slight smile from my lips. It was a pure happy feeling and I took a deep breath.

"I think you are right," I ended up saying, "I supposed we can go home now, I will check the flights in a bit," I said and I made to stand up to catch my laptop, but Mizoguchi pointing to stay down. I stared at him utter confusion.

"I already book the tickets to Neo Domino too," he informed me and I couldn't help but smile widely, "we are leaving in two days."

I gasped surprised. _He did it already?_ He booked the tickets and in two days we will be back. After one and a half month away from home, away from _him_? I waved my head trying to pull him out of my thoughts, but I found it quite difficult right now. All my thoughts spun with him at the center.

"Really? That's great!" I blurted before I could be able to stop myself. I was thrilled and I couldn't hide it. Then again I didn't want it either.

He threw me a look full of meaning for my sudden reaction and think I blushed a little. "Yes, my lady," he agreed softly, "it's great returning home and to anyone who cares and is waiting for you," he added and I blinked a couple of times in astonishment.

I knew perfectly to whom he referred; the same orange-haired man of whom his images were haunting my thoughts and dreams. His hilarious grin was following me from the day I left Neo Domino and there wasn't even one day without thinking of him. I just hope he didn't forget about me already, for his own good.

Mizoguchi stood up to his feet. "I think I will retire to my room my lady, if you need anything-"

"No," I interrupted him, "I only need you to go and get some rest. You really have been a big help," I suggested and he dipped his head. "Thank you," I added with a smile.

"My pleasure, especially if I see you this happy," he smiled too and left.

I lay on the couch closing my eyes and letting my joy fill me completely. I wasn't just happy but excited too. I rolled to my stomach still smiling ready to burst out from happiness. "That's it," I murmured, "I'm going back home, back to Neo Domino, back to you Crow Hogan," my smile becomes wider, if something like that is possible, "in two days I will see your funny face along with this annoying grin of yours," I shook my head.

This man is a puzzle to me but more confusing are the feeling he creates every time I'm thinking of him. Every time his face comes to my mind, I acquire a permanent smirk and as I recall his goofy grin, automatically, I feel lighthearted inside, less anxious and pressed. As if laughter is the best treatment in the hard face of life.

Six weeks and I missed him so much. I pressed lightly my face in the couch's pillow releasing a soft moan. I admitted it to myself the same day I left Neo Domino in the flight to France that I _do_ have some warm feelings toward Crow and my unexpected reaction is the best proof.

I yawned loudly and rubbed my eyes. The fatigue of the past weeks is beginning to make its presence noticeable, and the point where I am not able to lose any more time from my sleep by going from the couch to bed. Besides, I feel very comfortable here; soft and warm, his face is plopping in my thoughts too, but that's nothing new.

I must make sure he will know when I'll return. I haven't spoken to him since I left; I had no time for anything else than my trip purpose, not even to get some properly sleep at nights. I stifled another yawn and stretched out my hand to grab my phone to text him a message.

"_In two days I'll be back at Neo Domino. Finally all settled down to the last detail. For your own good I hope you still remember your promise. -Sherry._"

I pressed the 'send' bottom the same time the phone slipped my fingers to the carpet, as I fall asleep with a smile still painted on my lips.

* * *

_Yay! Sherry is coming back! Don't worry, I bet Crow still remember you!_

_Special thanks to my lovely betas RedShoeParade and BlackRoseDragonCK!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822 (remove spaces). You will find my OCs sketches for my upcoming story too ;)_

_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	6. Advice

**Chapter 6 – Advice**

_Crow's POV_

It was night and I was ready to leave Martha's as the kids had all been sleeping deeply for some time now. I had come after work to help my foster mother take care of the kids and spend some time with them, since my new job with the police was leaving me with much less time on my hands. I spent most of the night on city patrols and it wasn't easy to visit my little orphans as much as I wanted.

I had been living with my two best friends in the same garage and I barely saw them anymore. Yusei was working the craziest hours at the lab and taking strange science classes. Jack… well I had no idea what Jack was doing. Actually, I hadn't seen him for a while. He had said he had some things to settle and left. I bet he was ok—after all, Jack was Jack. So, I wasn't worried about him.

Stifling a yawn, I stretched. Kokoro had wanted to hear the story of the legendary duelist again, so I had stayed a bit longer this time. Now I was ready to go home and get some proper sleep. Martha and I were chatting casually at the large table when my phone gave its message tone. I lifted a finger for Martha to stop, taking out my mobile to check it. My eyes widened as a pleasant surprise spread all over me.

_She_ had texted me! The message was from _her_ and by her…the beautiful young lady with the long blond hair and the emerald gems orbs: _Sherry!_

_'Forget my promise?'_ I wondered to myself, reading and rereading her message. "Never!" I murmured out loud over-excitedly. I shook my head, feeling my heart ready to burst.

"Crow?" Martha arced her eyebrows before continuing, "Who texted you? Is everything OK?" She tilted her head slightly, watching my reaction carefully.

"Ummm," I hummed as I tried to think of a nice excuse. "Yes, everything is fine." I ended up replying.

"Who sent you the message?" My foster mother insisted. She moved her gaze to my cell phone, trying to read the sender name from afar.

I rushed to shut down my phone; the screen went blank. "No one," I lied and Martha lifted one eyebrow.

Not only did my poor answer epically fail to convince her, but my awkward response had just made things worse. Blushing furiously, I avoided looking her directly in the eyes.

"Was the message sent from a pretty blonde girl?" she asked, smiling.

"Who told you that?" I yelled, surprised. I bet my face gained a crimson red color that time.

"You did," Martha chuckled.

"Great!" I responded wryly and face-palmed upon realizing my own mistake. Why had I not maintained my cool instead of being tense and lying? It was Martha for crying out loud! No one could lie to her and get away with it. She could read us like open books.

"Come on, Crow, don't be so shy," Martha placed one hand on my shoulder. "What did she text you?"

I glared at her good-naturedly. That was personal information and I wasn't ready to share it yet.

"Is she coming back to Neo Domino?" she asked aptly.

"H-how did you know?" I stared at her with wide eyes. _Apart from smart is she a psychic too?_

"Lucky guess," Martha replied playfully. "Well, when does she come back?"

"In two days," I replied with a crooked grin.

"That's wonderful!" Martha flashed a warm smile. "Why don't you ask her out in a date?" She suggested and her words froze the smile on my lips.

My smile dropped as my body tensed. "Date?"

"Yes, a date."

"I… I don't think that's such a good idea," I muttered. "We'll go on a walk as friends and that's all." I dared admit that her idea of asking Sherry on a date filled me with terror. I could ask her for a walk, but not for a walk that was actually a date.

"Stubborn! Just like your brothers!" Martha commented and pursed her lips. "Will you guys ever admit that you have feelings for girls?" she asked angrily without giving me time to respond. "You grew up into three fine men-" I knew she was referred to both Yusei and Jack too, "-you are not kids anymore; it's natural for some girls to catch your eye!"

"I don't have my eye on her!" I protested. "Sherry and I just… hang out, that's all."

"Your response is the same as Yusei's," Martha laughed. "But at least he agreed to ask Aki out, after she finishes with her studies."

"Really?" I smirked. That was some nice juicy news.

"Yes," Martha confirmed. "But we are not talking about Yusei. He will do what he has to do in time. Now we are talking about you, Sherry, and your feelings for her," she crossed her arms, tapping her fingers on the table.

"Alright!" I blurted, lifting my palms in surrender. "So what if I do?" I raised my voice in irritation, but soon I totally gave up. "OK, I care about her…maybe a lot," I admitted. "That doesn't change the fact that Sherry and I are friends."

"And why does this keep you from asking her on a date?" Martha inquired.

"Well…" I started. "There's…" but I paused, unable to think of a reason why I couldn't do so.

Martha was waiting patiently. My face lit up as I thought I came up with a nice retort, but I then hushed, starting to realize that Martha had a point.

"Don't tell me that Crow, the bullet-sama, doesn't have the guts to ask a girl out?" she mocked me, trying to hold back a giggle.

"It's not that I have no guts," I replied uneasily. "I can ask her, it's just that…" I rubbed the back of my head awkwardly, glancing away.

"You're afraid she may reject you," Martha finished calmly. Sheepishly, I nodded.

"I guess I'm a coward," I concluded in a bitter tone, looking down.

"I don't think there's anyone out there who likes being rejected," Martha said with understanding.

I gave her a quick nod. "I'll bet."

"It's natural to feel like that, but you don't have to let this fear get the best of you," she advised me. "Call her when she gets back and ask her out on a date."

'_Yeah, because it's that easy…?_' I bit my lip.

"And don't worry, Crow," Martha smiled. "Ask her out. Something is telling me she won't reject you."

"Ummm, you think so?" I muttered, scratching the back of my head and blushing lightly.

"Of course!" She assured me, giggling. "I think she will be very happy when you confess to her."

"W-What?" I gasped as my blood ran cold.

Asking her on a date and confessing my feelings were two completely different things. _Wait! What feelings? Tell her that I care for her? Come on, I feel stupid even thinking about it!_

"Go and grab your future wife," my foster mother chuckled.

I rolled my eyes. Martha had many crazy ideas—there was no way Sherry and I would end up a husband and wife. Not even girlfriend and boyfriend. No, not in a million years!

* * *

_Stupid Crow... you said it yourself: Martha is really smart!_

_Special thanks to my lovely betas RedShoeParade and BlackRoseDragonCK!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822 (remove spaces). You will find my OCs sketches for my upcoming story too ;)_

_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	7. Date

**Chapter 7 – Date**

_Sherry's POV_

My plane had landed in Neo Domino airport and the first thing I did when my feet touched the ground, was take a deep breath, feeling the familiar smell of the city. _Yes! Finally, I'm back home_. I bit my lower lip.

"I will go to pick up our suitcases, my lady," Mizoguchi informed me. I nodded, still lost in my own thoughts.

It was strange to feel that I was at home in Japan, since my real home was far away from here. My true home was back to Franc— the city I had left behind to return to Neo Domino. I shook my head. No, Paris _wasn't_ my home! It had ceased to be the same night my parents were murdered. Since that night, I had had no home until I came here.

All my research had lead me to this city. Upon arriving, I had found more than just simple answers. I had also found people who, as crazy as it sounded, I considered my friends. Yusei and his teammates had showed me the power of friendship…and a particular one of his companions had showed me more than that.

"Are you ready my lady?" Mizoguchi appeared, holding our stuff.

I nodded and we both made our way to our place. It was nice and somehow refreshing thinking that I didn't have to spend another minute brooding over my dark plans and plotting my next move or something. Although it was really strange after all those years… now I didn't have to worry about anything.

Stepping into my house, I let Mizoguchi carry my bags up to my room. I went to take a bubble bath, letting the hot water relax my body and chase away all the tension. Then, for the first time in my life, I sat in my bedroom, wondering what to do next.

A peaceful life with no riddles, mysteries, or dark plans wasn't really my cup of tea. I guessed I would have to get used to this type of life from now on—as boring as it sounded. I took a deep breath, ready to find something to do to kill time, when my phone rang. I rushed to answer.

"Hello?"

"Sherry?" I heard a happy and annoying voice at the other end. Immediately, I recognized the owner.

"Crow!" A fade smile formed on my face.

"Yup, it's me!" he affirmed with a light chuckle. "So you're finally back?"

I smiled. "Yeah, back in Neo Domino and I won't leave again. At least I have no other plans of flying away in the next few days or months."

"That's great! I was really happy when I received your message a couple of days ago. To be completely honest, I thought I wouldn't see you again."

I lifted a brow, puzzled. "Why? You thought I wouldn't come back?"

"Umm… it wasn't just that…" he replied a little stiffly.

"What else then?" I asked. For an unknown reason, I really wanted to know the answer.

"Ummm," Crow hummed, still uneasy. Hearing his tone, I concluded that he wasn't going to tell me. "So, you have a nice flight?" he asked in the end.

I rolled my eyes. OK, maybe he wasn't in the mood of sharing information, but I could always use other methods to dislodge my answers.

"You didn't answer my question," I stated flatly, ignoring him ostentatiously. "And don't you dare say that I didn't reply either, because you know perfectly well that you started it," I added icily.

"Oh… yeah, don't worry I won't say anything like that," he didn't cower at what I had said, and I bet he was still grinning. "It's just that with all those things you had to settle away from the city, I thought that it would be easier for you to move on and erase the past."

"You are not wrong saying all this…but still, I don't understand."

"Well," he took a deep breath. "You may laugh, but I'm a part of your past too, am I not?" he confessed. I wasn't able to translate the tone of his voice.

But surely, I wasn't expecting to hear something like that and he had caught me out off guard. I blinked. He feared that I would erase him from my life? And to think I had been worried that he would forget about me. _Great!_ So far, we had both proved ourselves really stupid. But he was more so, because stupidity had been flowing freely in his veins since the day he was born.

"You're right to believe that I want to forget my past and look forward into my future, Crow. But you missed something. I want to forget the bad times in my life, not the good ones," I concluded without too much thought.

When I realized the meaning of what I had said, I wanted to slap a hard hand over my mouth.

"Really?" he exclaimed. "Does that mean that I'm a part of your good memories?"

I rolled my eyes, holding back a smile. He sounded like a little boy who had just been promised a ton of ice-cream. "Well done, Crow," I chuckled. "Apparently you're not _that _stupid."

"C'mon, Sherry, don't tease me," he pretended he was hurt. "I'm absolutely serious."

"You and seriousness," I started, a bit coldly, "are a very bad combination."

"You really don't care about my feelings at all," he muttered with a fake hint of disappointment. "And to think I wanted to tell you how perfectly I remember my promise."

"You do have a good memory; I'll give you that." I complimented him.

"Thanks!" he chuckled. "So, what do you say we make my promise real tomorrow and go out on another walk?"

"I guess that's OK," I replied. Somehow, I found it hard to keep myself from smiling. I liked the idea of seeing him and his funny grin again.

"Great! You want me to come and pick you up, or do you want to meet at the park?" he asked and I could hear the euphoria in his voice.

"Let's meet at the park," I suggested, without knowing why I chose this option.

"Great!" Crow cheered once again. I rolled my eyes. "How about 3 PM?"

"OK. I will be on time and make sure you don't keep me waiting for you, is that clear?" My voice had a hint of warning and I held back a chuckle.

I would have died to see his face, but I had a feeling he would be okay. After all, he was the one stupid enough to take risks which included my temper.

"No way," Crow assured me.

"For your own good," I tried to sound a bit angry, but I failed and didn't care. I was happy.

"So, it's a date then!" Crow cheered, displaying no doubt on his features.

I froze. "Date?" I repeated, immediately surprised. Heat rose to my cheeks. _He's asking me on a date?!_

"Umm… w-what I m-mean is...umm..." Crow sounded more than a bit nervous as he attempted to think of something better to say, or to cover his own mistake. "I-I mean…meant…that..."

Face-palming, I silently thanked the world that we were talking on phone and not in person so he couldn't see my reaction. He was so stupid and right now he sounded pathetic too. _He asked me out and now he's trying to take it back? What a coward! _I huffed irritably and I got this crazy feeling that I wanted to hit something angrily. I knew perfectly well that what I wanted to hit was his stupid marker face.

He had asked me and now he was changing his mind? '_Why, is it because I'm a violent and rude person and I'm not good enough to accompany him on a date?_' I wondered wryly.

Silenced by waiting, I heard him nervously murmuring things with no meaning, like he was scanning his brain for something to say other than 'date'. I huffed angrily.

"...A date it is." I whispered quietly and flatly, taking control of the conversation…and accepting his proposal.

"Aw… s-sure… then…" he stammered like a fool, until I heard him laugh nervously."Then it's settled," he said happily.

I clenched my fists, trying to hold back my nerves and this wild desire to hit something and start jumping on it. He was lucky he wasn't in front of me right now.

"Make sure you don't stand me up tomorrow," I declared. After he assured me once again that he wouldn't, I hung up the phone and threw it on the bed.

For some reason, I was angry. Well, not just angry, I was pissed off. All right, _why did I agree to go on a date with him_? I wonder and shook my head confusedly. I growled, irritated as I remembered his vain attempt to change his words.

"What's up, Crow Hogan," I murmured angrily. "I'll prove that I deserve your time."

And then it hit me in the face at full force. I realized why I was pissed off. I wasn't angry because Crow had asked me on a date or because he was acting like a pathetic coward, trying to cover up his mistake. I was angry out of fear that he might change his mind and decide he didn't want to go out with me in the end. Shivering, I shook my head as I came face to face with another realization.

I had never been on a date before. Now that I thought about it, my life had had no romance whatsoever. I felt my heart beating faster, like I was watching something terrifying unfold. I shook my head, trying to calm myself. I had faced murderers and conspiracies—I could deal with a date just fine.

And then, the first question dawned on me: _What am I going to wear?_

* * *

_Don't worry Sherry, I bet everything will be OK, and Crow will be nice to you and you will have a good time… ;)_

_Special thanks to my lovely betas RedShoeParade and BlackRoseDragonCK!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822 (remove spaces). You will find my OCs sketches for my upcoming story too ;)_

_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	8. Success

**Chapter 8 – Success**

_Crow's POV_

Hanging up the phone, I was ready to burst, start cheering or ready jump up and down. I shook my head and cleared my throat, trying to take it calm and mature. Of course I failed, since I couldn't help but grin for ear to ear.

I had a good reason for being so happy after all—the call had been a great success! I had finally managed to ask Sherry out on a date and she had agreed! But to be completely honest with myself, I did want to ask her, but I had bit my tongue when the 'date' word escaped my lips. I knew I shouldn't have said date but it just...came out.

_Man!_ That was one of the scariest moments in my life. I had wanted to slap myself, but I'd already let slip the wrong word. I shook my head and shivered. I had never felt more heat on my face and I was so embarrassed by what I'd said, that I couldn't think of anything to fix it. That is…until she agreed it and left me speechless.

But even if I had asked her on a date by accident, it didn't change the fact that I had asked her and she had said _yes_. If only Martha were here and see that Crow the Bullet-sama had all the guts it took to ask out a girl! I wondered how happy and proud she would be when I told her the new… I bit my lip, making a mental note to leave out the awkward part of the conversation.

Smiling evilly, I remembered what my foster mother had always said about my raven-haired companion. This made me smile even more.

"Hah! Take that, Yusei! Let's see how long it takes _you_ to find the guts to ask Aki on a date," I smirked and punched the air triumphantly.

Then, I paused at the thought of my other childhood friend. I shook my head. Jack wouldn't have any problems— in fact, I wondered if he would even have to ask, since his fan club seemed a bit… well… _out of control_. I bet he wouldn't even have to ask Carly, Mikage, or even that coffee girl. Stephanie would ask him to go out in a date in a heartbeat.

Sometimes, I thought that Jack was a lucky bastard for having so much fame. He wouldn't face any problems finding a girlfriend in his life, because the girls were already queuing. Although I did have a hunch he had his eye on one specific girl…one with big glasses.

But I didn't care. He could pick Carly or any other woman he wanted because the girl who had _my_ attention wasn't a member of his huge fan club. I bet she never would be either. I had kept the best one for myself and she had agreed already. Now it was settled.

"I'm going on a date with Sherry!" I was thrilled and smiled widely at the thought.

And then the smile froze on my lips. Sure, I deserved congratulations for my great success, but suddenly and slowly, as if a bucket of ice water had splashed over my head, I realize something. This was going to be my first date with her and for an unknown reason I was feeling both nervous and scared. _But why_?

I had no idea about Sherry, but I had been on dates before. It was years ago at Satellite, when I was still an active member of Team Satisfaction and afterward, when our gang split up. But back then, girls were mostly out of my interest—plus, they weren't quite so pretty or smart or even happy. Sure, things had changed greatly after we built the Daedalus Bridge, but before that, life there was like life in hell.

Working all day for a piece of bread, carrying no hope for the future, none of them really caught my attention. Well, that was until I met the blonde woman and was intrigued. Back then, we mostly shared some nice breaks from the daily routine and nothing more. But now, I wanted _more_ than just fun.

My heart must have skipped a beat. Suddenly, I felt weak on my feet and a great need to sit down before I collapsed overtook me. _This was silly_. It was just another date, how hard it could be? But I wanted to make our first date pleasant and memorable for both of us—especially for her, since I had asked and promised her long ago that she would have a good time. _But what should I do_? I had no idea and I was really not in the mood to ask Martha for some more advice.

"Alright!" I took a deep breath. "Relax; you'll get it under control. It's not your first date, for crying out loud!" I said aloud to myself, trying to calm my nervousness.

Yusei entered the room. "Crow? Who are you talking too?"

"What?" I gasped and felt my blood run cold. _How much did he hear?_

"Are you alone or is someone here?" he asked casually, looking around the room.

"Umm," I hummed a little stiff.

"Crow?" he stared at me, noticing my awkward behavior. "Are you alright?"

"Perfect!" I replied a little too fast. I blushed at the same time. "Why do you ask?"

"Are you sure?" he asked again while knitting his eyebrows.

"Of course I am," I lied and glanced away.

I wasn't ready to share any information about me and Sherry. I didn't know why, since I had never been a naturally closed up person. But for some inexplicable reason, I wanted to keep my contact with her out of the conversation.

"If you say so," Yusei shrugged. Something in his tone told me that he didn't really believe me.

"Oh man!" I exclaimed, checking the time. "I must leave!"

"Work?"

"Yup," I nodded and mounted my duel runner. "Tonight I have patrol in the dueling area," I informed him, wearing my helmet. "See you tomorrow, Yusei."

I droveoff into the fresh air and let the cold breeze hit my face and clear up my thoughts. I had been lucky to find a way out of Yusei's piercing gaze. But how was I supposed to work when my upcoming date was hanging over my head?

_Why am I so nervous_?

It was just a date after all. I would have been happy just making Sherry have a good time with me, even if we were just out on a friendly walk. But she was OK with the _date idea_…and maybe this was a confirmation that she liked to spend time with me too. Maybe she even liked me a bit. I smiled, happily and satisfied with this conclusion. Why would she not like me after all? Was that moron Jack better than me since he had a few dozen girls running behind him?

Come on! I bet he couldn't make Sherry laugh as I did, not even a little. And now I knew what I had to do tomorrow—I would start with being myself and doing what I did best.

"I'll make our first date good enough to take up a slot on her list of happy memories," I vowed and smiled widely.

* * *

_Yeah Crow! Do what you know to do best! Make her laugh –you love her laughter after all. I hope you are not mad for making Crow dated other girls before but it looked like something he would had done…_

_Special thanks to my lovely betas RedShoeParade and BlackRoseDragonCK!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822 (remove spaces). You will find my OCs sketches for my upcoming story too ;)_

_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	9. Rush

**Chapter 9 – Rush**

_Sherry's POV_

'_Is it because I wanted it or because I wanted to prove to him that I'm a perfectly fine person when I agreed to go out with him?_'

I splashed cold water in my face and lifted my head, looking at my reflection in the mirror. My face was an expressionless mask, but I knew that a thousand thoughts were racing through my head.

Among all my queries, this question burned me from the inside. The _worst_ part of all: I had _no_ answer. Sure, I liked spending time with him since he made me laugh and helped me, without knowing I suppose, to push away all the dark memories from my past both quickly and easily. Those weren't the only factors either.

I had developed feelings for him too and this was the result of his own efforts. He had tried hard to show me how much he cared about me. As impolite and rude as I was, he hadn't given up. He had made the impossible possible. I had to confess that if I had such feelings, he had caused it and he deserved it.

Shaking my head, I wiped my face with a towel and left the bathroom, headed to my room. I opened my closet and stood still, looking at the inside and wondering what to wear. But my thoughts were so preoccupied with him that I didn't pay the slightest attention to the clothes that fell into my hands.

I enjoyed his company more than anyone else's, but to tell the truth, I had never met anyone like him before. Mizoguchi was not counted in all this—he was my guardian angel and the most loyal servant I'd ever had. But Crow… he was so _different_. He was such a caring person. I smiled lightly, remembering the little kids, which he had looked after before Martha took them under her protection. Those orphans owed him as much as I owed Mizoguchi, but Crow's protective feelings spread to cover many people, including _me_.

I started dressing myself, still lost in my own world as many thoughts spun around my head. _Does that mean that Crow only sees me as another hurting person and wants to offer me his kindness? _

'_Very likely_,' I thought, releasing a grunt. I grimaced.

I didn't need anyone's pity for the sour turns of my life. I could get through by myself I supposed.

'_And what if he doesn't_?' I scratched the back of my head, confused.

In any other case, I would have been more than angry. But now, I didn't feel a trace of wrath for Crow. In fact, I liked it. I liked it, I enjoyed it, and I wanted it. _That's it!_ That was why I was so puzzled. I definitely didn't want his pity, but I wondered if he felt anything for me. At least I knew I wanted to spend time with him and, concluding by his actions, he wanted it too. He liked spending time with me as well. So, maybe he didn't see me as another person he needed to help…but as something more. Maybe he _did _like me….

I froze! '_Does that mean he has feelings for me too_?' I wondered and sweat-dropped.

He barely knew me for crying out loud! But then, why had he asked me on a date? He had been so tense when he said 'date' and he acted awkwardly when he was with me. I smiled at the memory when I remembered something else too. He had blushed like mad when this little girl, Kokoro, asked him if I was his girlfriend, like he was embarrassed. If he had no feelings for me, then why had he acted this way? I had admitted my own emotions to myself and taken her question with grace. So…did that means that he liked me even more then I imagined?

I shivered and shook my head, feeling like a goldfish out of water. I knew almost everything about the underworld. I could handle all kind of conspiracies. Yet, I was completely clueless when it came to romance. I had no idea about Crow, but I was definitely out of my comfort zone. But even if this area was unknown to me, even if he felt like this for me and I for him, I believed that those things took time. We would actually need more time to get to know each other more. There was no rush!

Not to mention that, now I thought of it… _Wait! What am I thinking? Crow_? _Crow Hogan_, The most unrealistic guy on earth? Plus that he was an annoying moron, most of the time at least. But he was also funny…

I froze. Looking at myself in the mirror, I face-palmed when I saw my clothing.

"What the heck am I thinking? I'm going on a date—not to a duel tournament!" I scolded myself quietly.

I took off my duel runner uniform and started searching for something more appropriate to wear. Then I saw the large clock on the wall out of the corner of my eye.

"Damn!" I cursed loudly, realizing that I had to be at the park for our date in… exactly fifteen minutes!

I pulled on the first clothes I could find, grabbed my keys, and ran to the garage. I rode my duel-runner, wearing my helmet and feeling somehow strange and really uncomfortable for some reason. I didn't pay attention. I revved the engine and drove myself onward.

_Great!_ This was my first date with Crow, actually the first date in my whole life, and I was late. Crow would think I stood him up, but at least he was the guy. From what I knew, if the girl was late, there was no problem. Something told me that Crow wouldn't have any problem waiting for me. I smiled to myself, accelerating, feeling the speed and the wind hitting me in my face, making my hair fan wildly. The sensation was perfect—after all, speed was a huge part of my world.

Driving closer to the park, I spotted him from afar. He stood on the sidewalk, stepping back and forth while checking his watch.

"Crow!" I shouted.

He turned his head toward me and flashed a huge grin. I had spent six weeks without seeing his face and I thought I missed him. Only now did I realize that I didn't _just_ miss him. I groaned. I _hated_ that irritating grin but I _liked_ it too. What a strange contrast…

I parked my duel runner beside his and hopped to my feet, taking off my helmet.

"I hope I'm not too late," I said apologetically. "You didn't wait too long, did you?"

"What? Oh! No, don't worry, I wasn't-" he left his sentence unfinished and stared at me.

I lifted an eyebrow. "Is everything OK?" I asked, confused by his strange behavior.

He didn't answer. He was looking up and down at my outfit. I started feeling tense under his gaze. _Is he checking me out?_ He hadn't seen me for one and a half months. Was this his welcoming home greeting?

"Hello!" I called. "My face is up here you know," I added icily.

"Aw! Y-yes…" he stammered and his checks became scarlet. His eyes trailed one more time on me and I felt my temper growing.

"What?" I asked irritably.

"Ummm," he hummed, still uneasy, blinking several times. He was trying not to stare I supposed.

I knitted my eyebrows. "Is there something wrong with me?" I asked, looking down at myself.

I gasped. Wide-eyed, I realized why I had felt so uncomfortable on my duel runner. Also, I now know why he was staring at me like this: _I was wearing a dress!_ A _short_ white dress, actually. Me! I shook my head, lifting my gaze to him.

"Sorry," he muttered. "It's just that I've never seen you in a dress before." An apology was written all over his face.

Now that I knew the reason, I wasn't angry anymore. In fact, I felt quite the opposite. I took his behavior as a nice compliment. After all, he was right—I must have shocked him since my clothes had shocked me too. I didn't even remember the last time I had worn a dress.

"Well," I smiled. "I'm not after spies or anything this time so I wore something more appropriate for our date, I suppose."

When Crow heard the word 'date', he blushed deeply. I giggled.

"So," I started slowly. "Shall we?" And I pointed toward the park with my eyes. "Unless of course you have other plans that don't involve the park."

Alright, I thought I had been polite enough and I had promised myself one thing yesterday—I would show him that I really was worth his time. I was willing to do my best, but I wasn't taking a vow. Same old routine—old habits die hard.

He grinned and held out a hand. "I'm really glad to see you again, Sherry."

"Same here," I smiled and took it slowly.

"Let's go!" he chuckled.

And we started walking happily toward park's gate…together.

* * *

_Oups! Crow it's not very nice to staring like this, you know, but ok… you like her a lot, even if you don't know that yet._

_Whiterose and guests! :) I'm really glad you liking my story!_

_Special thanks to my lovely beta BlackRoseDragonCK!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822 (remove spaces). You will find my OCs sketches for my upcoming story too ;)_

_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	10. Lucky

**Chapter 10 – Lucky**

_Crow's POV_

She was so pretty. I couldn't take my eyes of her, or stop staring at how beautiful she was. Her short dress certainly didn't make it easier—for I had never seen her wear a dress before. She let me hold her hand and lead her into the park. Sure, everybody would notice her and I bet that some guys would wish to be in my place. I couldn't help but feel that I was an extremely lucky guy to be on a date with a girl like Sherry.

A marked man like me, sporting a face covered with a dozen yellow tattoos, having such a privilege…I couldn't stop grinning in satisfaction. But apart from lucky and happy, deep down I felt nervous too. I hoped wouldn't mess anything up; otherwise she would… I swallowed, not daring to think what would follow.

"Where are we going?" she asked politely.

I stopped in the middle of the crowed street near the big clock tower and turned to look at her. I tried not to stare but something told me that I was failing miserably. The excuse that she was pulling my gaze like magnet wouldn't rescue me from her terrible temper, but at least she was being really kind and nice today—no rudeness, no threats, and no glares. For a moment I wondered why. I didn't waste more time to find an answer. After all, it was good enough to know that she seemed to have turned over a new leaf.

"Well," I said. "We are in the middle of the park with a ton of options. There's all sorts of entertainment and I want you to have a good time, so you can pick a place. We can go to the playground or walk around the lake with ducks," I suggested.

She threw me a confused look before she smiled lightly. "Crow," she sounded like she was trying to keep from giggling. I knitted my eyebrows. "Only kids can go to the playground."

I grinned widely. So that was the reason. "Don't worry Sherry," I comforted her. "The playground isn't _just_ for kids…well, it's mostly for kids, but not _just_."

"I bet Kokoro loves that place."

"Yeah," I chuckled. "Actually, it's Kokoro's favorite place. So, you want to go there?"

"Umm," she hummed looking around. "Why don't we get something to drink and take a short walk first?"

"Great!" I exclaimed and turned my head tying to find the nearest store. "What do you want to drink?" I asked, spotting a cantina.

"I don't care," she shrugged. "Maybe an apple juice if they have it… but really, I don't mind."

"Apple juice—done," I repeated. "Stay here and I will be back in a jiffy," I smiled and headed to buy what she wanted.

Unfortunately, there were a ton of people in the store so I spent quite some time waiting for my turn. But fortunately they had apple juice. I bought two of them and turned to go back. What I saw marching closer made my happy expression turn sour.

I had left Sherry alone for five, maybe ten minutes and one obnoxious guy had already approached her! Deep down I didn't blame him, Sherry was very beautiful. Even so, my blood grew hot in my veins and any calming thoughts were extinguished, replaced by a crazy desire to knock this guy down. So, I quickened my pace to get there faster.

"You have the time, Miss?" he asked her in an unctuous voice. I felt quite sick to my stomach.

"The giant clock tower is right beside me, and you're asking me about the time?" Sherry responded and I cracked a smiled upon hearing her indifference.

"Oh, sorry…it's just that you erased everything else in my view," his voice, just like his expression, was over sugary.

"What?" Sherry immediately reacted with surprise. I had to swallow the bile in throat. Struggling to stay calm, I restrained myself not beat this guy to death.

"Why is such a pretty lady like you here all alone?"

"What makes you think she's alone?" I asked as I took my place near Sherry, trying to make things clear.

At this, the guy lost his awful, clammy ways. "_You_ are with her?" his gaze trailed all over me and stopped at my face. He released a disdainful grunt, noticing my marks. "Come on!" he joked "You can do a lot better that _him,_ sugar," and he took a step forward.

My blood roared in my ears as anger started to take away the best of me. I heard Sherry gritting her teeth. For a moment, I forgot my nerves and I started to wonder about her temper. I knew perfectly well that Sherry was capable enough to handle him. But she was with me now, so I didn't give her time to respond. I took the situation into my own hands.

"The girl is with me," I stated flatly and aggressively this time, holding my ground. "So back off!"

I didn't fear him. I'd faced stronger and scarier opponents in my life and a moron like him, who just played at being a tough guy, almost made me laugh.

"Or what?" He smiled ironically. "You looking for a fight?"

"Hell no!" I narrowed my eyes warningly. "Not unless you're foolish enough to make me." And I took one step, closing the distance between him and myself.

"Let's go, Crow," Sherry put a hand on my shoulder, but I ignored her. "Come!" she insisted. "This idiot doesn't even deserve our time."

"Crow? Crow Hogan?" the guy exclaimed, taking a step backward. He shot me a scared look. I stared at him utter confusion, catching the fear in his voice.

"What?" His strange behavior along with the sudden flinch only made me more furious.

"You're one of the team 5D's members, the winner of WRGP tournament and a close friend to Fudo Yusei," he said as he took one more step backward, "I-I'd best not mess with you!" he announced. He then ran away hastily, leaving me with an open mouth.

"What a coward!" Sherry sounded as surprised as I was.

"Yeah?" I turned to face her.

For an unexplained reason I was still pissed off. Maybe it was because I didn't get to kick his smart ass. I had let him leave, actually run away so easily. Sherry shook her pretty head, making her hair flutter.

"I leave you alone for five minutes and someone already starts hitting on you?!" I sounded angrier than I wanted, but I didn't care.

"You think it was in my intention?" she asked icily, tossing her long blonde locks out of her face and glaring at me. "I thought you already knew that guys like him are out of my interest. Did you see how fast he ran away when he learned who you are?"

"Yeah," I sneered. "I lost my chance to give him a memorable lesson for messing with you."

"You know, I was thinking the same when you cut me off."

"Alright!" I raised my voice. "I won't leave you alone again, not even for one minute," I announced flatly. She lifted one eyebrow. "Well…" I added, thinking of something else. "Unless you want to use the lady's room…but even then I'll stay outside the door waiting for you."

Sherry only laughed and smiled pleasantly at hearing my warning. "You're so funny Crow Hogan," she chuckled. "You do know that I can take care of myself, right?"

"I do!" I admitted. "But now that you're with me, I'm gonna make sure no one bothers you again."

She looked like her thoughts were battling within her skull. Eventually, she smiled warmly and took my hand, knitting her fingers with mine. "It's really nice seeing that you care about me so much," she smiled. "Even if it's still a bit annoying since I can handle it. But your interest is kind and… oh! You bought my apple juice," her eyes stopped on my hand.

Huffing, I gave her one of the bottles. For some reason I had this feeling that Sherry was forcing those words out.

She thanked me. "So?" She looked at me with a slight smile. "Let's go for a walk."

"Sure," I nodded, forcing a smile. I got ready to started walking.

"Um, Crow?" she stopped me and I turned to face her quizzically. "Um, thanks," she murmured with a light blush on her beautiful face. "For protecting me."

"It was the least I could do," I smiled, feeling calm and happy again. "And I will gladly do it again if I have to."

She gave me a pure smile and squeezed my hand. "Now let's go. We _are_ on a date after all."

I grinned as we both started walking, holding hands. I couldn't help but think of myself as the luckiest man on earth to be here with Sherry.

* * *

_Their date doesn't even start yet and look what happened! Oh well, Sherry is very pretty so Crow, you better be careful._

_Special thanks to my lovely beta BlackRoseDragonCK!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: **www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822** (remove spaces). You will find my OCs sketches for my upcoming story too ;)_

_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	11. Trust

**Chapter 11 – Trust**

_Sherry's POV_

Crow now seemed like he had totally forgotten that jerk who'd tried to play it superior, but was really scared to death when he found out who my companion was. I was angry too and ready to punch him in the face, especially when he downplayed Crow like that. Even if Crow hadn't been there, I was sure that the guy would have gone straight to the hospital had he stayed in my presence any longer.

I had needed every last ounce of the strength in me to stay calm, even when Crow tried to defend me. Flattered as I was, I could take care of myself. For a brief moment, I was so frustrated with both of them that I was ready to dish out hell to them both.

Men! _Why had I agreed to go out with one in the first place anyway?_

I shook my head. I knew perfectly why—it was because I liked his company, his amusing ways, his awful but awesome grin, and of course, his ability to make me laugh. My dad had made me laugh years ago. After his death, I had stopped laughing. I had even stopped smiling, until Crow entered in my life.

"What are you thinking about?" my date asked me, looking at me pleasantly.

"Umm," I hummed awkwardly. There was no way to tell him the truth. "Stuff in general," I murmured in the end.

"I get it. Old habits," he winked and I lifted my eyebrows utter confusion. "Remember the last time we were here?" he asked, seeing my puzzled expression.

I nodded slowly; I couldn't forget, even if I wanted to.

"You were lost in thought then too," he explained and I smiled, giving up.

"You're right," I apologized. "I'm sorry. Sometimes it's hard to keep yourself away from my past."

"Especially if the past is so dark and bitter like yours," he remarked. "Or mine."

"Just like you said: old habits are an unpleasant temptation. But I will try to keep it away for now," I promised. He shot me a strange look.

"Hmm," he hummed, pulling his gaze from me and taking a look around.

We were in the picnic area. Many families and couples were there, eating, playing, relaxing, or chatting on the ground or in big picnic benches.

"What?" I asked.

"I don't think this one's taken. Let's go," he said and almost dragged me with him to an empty bench. He gestured for me to sit as he sat in the space opposite me.

"What's up?"

"Well," he started, opening both my and his bottles of juice. "It's more comfortable to talk here."

"What did you want to ask me?"

"Not exactly _ask_ you Sherry," he knitted his eyebrows in sympathy. I got this crazy feeling that I wanted to hit him and hug him the same time. "You said it yourself—it's an unpleasant temptation and you know what? The best way face a temptation is to give in," and he grinned widely.

"That doesn't make any sense at all," I protested.

"But it does," he insisted. "You have to face your past in order to walk into the future," he explained. "Otherwise you will keep losing your thoughts to it and you will end up losing your energy, your time, and more. So, here we are; here _I_ am! Ready to hear about everything that makes you feel unhappy or puts you into anything unpleasant."

He was smart; I gave him that, but… I wasn't really sure if I wanted to speak about my past to him. It was _my_ past and those were _my_ memories.

"I think I can handle it quite well myself Crow, but thanks for your offer," I said, but even my voice sounded unsure. Crow noticed that.

"I'm not so sure about that Sherry," he mused in a soothing tone. "And don't get mad at me, but we're not always that strong. I know you're tough…actually I've never seen a woman with more guts than a dozen men all together like yourself…" I felt heat on my cheeks hearing this, "… but we are not made of stone. Sometimes we're not as strong as we believe and those are the times when we need some help, advice, even emotional support from someone else…maybe a friend or someone who cares about us."

How true, but wait! _What did he just say?_

"You mean that you care for me?" I asked, feeling my heartbeats quickening.

"Of course I care Sherry," Crow replied and stole the words from my mouth.

I knew that he cared about me—all his actions had showed this. But he'd never spelled it out and I had thought it would be hard for him to do it. I wasn't ready to confess that I too cared for him and liked his company and everything. As for my feelings… not a word! I supposed I was ashamed to admit it out loud and I thought the same applied for him too. But apparently I had been very wrong.

He smiled. "So here I am, ready to hear anything."

"You know Crow…" I scratched the back of my head awkwardly.

This wasn't like me and maybe I should have broken my promise to be polite on our date—for my attempts were making me softer. Under other circumstances, I would have been mad at Crow for messing with such a sensitive subject as my past…but right now, I was only sad and hesitant.

"My life is filled with many bad memories and really dark times. I don't want to bother you with all the unpleasant turns in my past."

"You're not bothering me," he emphasized, learning forward closer to me. "Don't keep the pain inside you, let it come out—this is a good way to get it off your chest. Then it will stop hurting you," he advised me. Once more, I had to credit him.

"I've learned how to deal with pain," I muttered, glancing away. "Pain doesn't always hurt, especially when it's all you've ever felt," the words escaped my lips before I realized it.

When I did, I bit my lip, hard. Humiliated, I avoided looking at him. I had just confessed to him how shadowed my heart was by pain.

He immediately reacted with compassion. "Oh Sherry… I never realized you felt this awful. I mean, I know that you're hurt from those rotten times of your past, but I never thought that you were _that_ hurt."

"I don't need your pity, OK?"

"Don't reject the pure feeling that comes from a gentle soul who cares for you, Sherry," he requested. Even if his words were filled with deep meaning, I focused my attention on something else.

"Let me get this straight," I stated. "_You _are the gentle soul?"

I knew he was—I was perfectly positive. He was amazingly gentle and caring…funny too, I realized, recalling his other 'talents'.

"Can I ask you a question? It's a bit personal, but not _too_ much…."

I lifted my eyebrows, puzzled. _What is he talking about?_ But then again, it was Crow. He could be serious and unrealistic at the same time.

"Knock yourself out," I shrugged. "But remember, you can ask your question, but I am not bound to answer."

"Deal. Even though I really want to know the answer. So…" he took a deep breath. "Do you trust me?"

My heart must have skipped a beat.

* * *

_C'mon Sherry... tell him!_

_Special thanks to my lovely beta BlackRoseDragonCK!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: **www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822** (remove spaces). You will find my OCs sketches for my upcoming story too ;)_

_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	12. Eggs

**Chapter 12 – Eggs**

_Crow's POV_

I'm sure I made her feel awkward with my question, but I really wanted to know the answer. Actually I prayed silently that she would reply, since she had every right not to.

Sherry stared at me. I could practically sense the speed with which her thoughts were passing through her mind. "I…I trust you," she finally said.

I sighed in relief, allowing myself to smile. Somehow, I felt lighter and larger inside. "That's great," I exclaimed before I could stop myself.

Sherry lifted an eyebrow and I hastily to continue.

I scratched the back of my head. " I'm really glad about it. This is the first step. Since you said yes, then you know that you can tell me anything."

"You know what else Crow?" she said and I shook my head. "You're right, but I believe something else too."

"What's that?"

"That you have to face your problems and your inner demons alone," she sounded like she was trying hard to find a way to explain something important, at least to her. I stayed silent, waiting for her to continue her thoughts. "You have to stand on your own two feet and deal with everything that keeps you behind in order to become stronger. I'm sorry if I can't explain it better."

"Don't worry," I comforted her. "I know what you mean and I really do follow your train of thought…" she shot me a doubtful look, but what I said was all true. "I _do_ know what you were trying to say," I said again.

"Why is it so hard for me to believe that?" she almost giggled.

"You think that and you're asking _me_ for an answer?" I reacted, trying to keep myself from laughing. She was kind of… well… _cute_!

"Maybe because you're stupid," she teased me.

I smirked. "But I can make you laugh, right?" my chest filled with pride. Only I could make her so happy and it felt like a great accomplishment.

"Yeah," she assured me. "But that doesn't mean you're not stupid."

"Alright, you want me to prove to you that I can be smart too?" I suggested. She threw me a scrutinizing look.

She took a sip of her drink. " Sure, If you can," she challenged.

"Right! Well," I took a look around. I saw a tree near us and I spotted a bird nest on the lower tree branch. Luck was on my side. I grinned from ear to ear. I cleared up my throat. "Well, you see that nest over there?" I pointed with one finger.

"Yes," Sherry nodded.

"I bet there are some eggs in there."

"So what?"

"It just so happens that eggs are really interesting subjects to investigate."

"Also, eggs can make some really tasty omelets, you know," Sherry added coldly, but I saw her pursing her lips. No doubt she was trying not to laugh.

"I know that too and I really like omelets, but that isn't my point," I chuckled. This time, Sherry followed my example. I smiled, satisfied at hearing one of the most perfect sounds of the universe: _her laughter_.

"What's you point then?"

"You know, I really got what you meant about facing your problems alone. The power within…all the great things happen from the inside."

She frowned, still puzzled."I still don't understand Crow. How does this show me that you're smart? And why exactly are you mentioning the eggs?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I chanced the tone of my voice, making it sound more mature.

"Enough with the riddles!" she shouted. "Tell me now, because I don't have an endless supply of patience, OK?"

I hurried to nod, taking her warning seriously. She had been very kind today and I had almost forgotten her foul temper. "Alright, the reason why I mentioned the eggs along with the power is because if an egg is broken by an outside force, then life ends."

"I know that," she croaked.

"But if an egg is broken by an inside force, then life begins," I finished and Sherry got really wide-eyed. "Moreover, the harder the shuck is, the more power is required to break it from the inside. And all those attempts will only make the little bird stronger. If I help it by breaking the shell myself, then the bird will be weak and may not be able to survive."

"Um," Sherry blinked several times to recover from the shock. "Alright I give you that one. You're smart too," she complimented me. "But you are still an annoying idiot," she froze the smile on my face. "But you are clever too. Now, as much as I'm trying, I can't understand how you can find the balance between those two things."

I let out a strange noise that sounded like a mix between a laugh and a grunt. "Sometimes I wonder the same thing."

"But since you really understand my thoughts, as strange as its sounds, I think we can drop this subject and find something else to discuss."

"I do understand –I proved it too, but you are not weak, Sherry," I protested. "And anyone who ever claims this is crazy. I'm not going to break your shell. That's impossible. All I want is to give you a hand or help you a bit to erase everything that keeps you from being happy in your life."

"And how are you going to do that?"

"I can only if you tell me your thoughts," for a moment I thought that maybe it wasn't such a great idea to say this, but Sherry didn't show a trace of anger. In fact, she looked like she was considering my proposal.

"I don't know what to say exactly," she said grimly. "My life has… well, let's just say that I have many things that drag me down."

"Can you name some of them?" I inquired politely.

"Umm," she knitted her eyebrows before continue, without looking at me. "I miss my parents; I miss the years of my life when I was in pure happiness. I almost forgot that life can be joyful sometimes…"

"That's a good thing I suppose," I remarked. "Because as you said, 'almost forgot'."

"That's right. Sometimes, something reminds me that life is still good."

"Something?" I asked. For an unknown reason, I saw her biting her lip.

* * *

_Eggs? Aw Crow... you're so funny.. but yeah.. that was really clever from you! _

_Special thanks to my lovely beta BlackRoseDragonCK!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: **www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822** (remove spaces).  
_

_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	13. Comfort

**Chapter 13 – Comfort**

_Sherry's POV_

I bit my lip hard, feeling my heart beating like crazy. _What am I supposed to say now?_ That he was the one who reminded me that life was good? I had never been a coward, but I could not bring myself to say this to him. I wasn't ready to let him know how happy I was for getting the life I'd always wanted. Even his presence helped me forget about my past. He stayed silent, waiting for my answer and I forced myself to come up with one.

"Sometimes small daily things, as small as they are, can transform your life completely. Sometimes it's other people who cause it…" _Crow is one of those people…_ "…and in their own way, they also help me. Although…" I hesitated, suddenly unsure of myself.

"Although?" Crow prompted. He leaned forward a bit; staring at me intensely.

Under his blazing gaze, I felt very naked and exposed. It was a feeling I didn't like at all.

"Although not all of them prove to be good," I whispered, avoiding looking in his eyes.

Swallowing a knot in my throat, I tried to keep my face emotionless. I started talking, thinking of Crow and his kindness, but he wasn't the only one who had come into my life. He was just one of the few who actually showed feelings for me and cared for me. All the others were…

Crow brought me back to reality. "I told you this, months ago and I will say it again: You will meet many people who will be your friends or will just act like it. But just remember, some come and some go."

Of course I remembered the first time he'd said it. But for some reason, I felt anger growing inside me. Yeah, some came and some went, but their actions always left a huge impression on me.

"Some will like you, some will hate you, some will love you, some with use you. No matter what others do to hurt you, there will always be people who are always there for you...who love you for who you are."

"What? Are you a philosopher now?" I scoffed at him. He didn't appear to be influenced by my tone.

"Sometimes," he confessed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

I released a light chuckle before staring at him, confused. "You know, you are a strange guy sometimes, Crow. Most of the time, you're annoying and goofy and I can always count on you to make me angry in record time, testing my limits. But the next minute, you make me laugh. You make me immediately forget about my anger or why I was ever angry with you…"

"Really? I can do that?" he asked, pointing at himself with a finger. I ignored him.

"And right when I think I finally understand you, you surprise me again. Right now, I see a different side of you –a more mature and refined side, if you don't mind my pointing it out."

"T-thanks. I take that as a great compliment," he murmured, glancing away probably in an attempt to hide his blush. I dared a slight smile; he failed.

"Don't let it go to your head, OK? Because most of the time, you're just an infuriating idiot," I warned him with a smirk on my face.

"Hey! You can't just give me a compliment and then turn around and insult me!" Crow yelped, pretending he was hurt.

"You'll live, Crow. Otherwise, you would have left like all the others did," for a moment I looked very distant. I was quickly brought back by Crow's loud and obnoxious voice.

Crow only smirked. "I will survive. I'm used to such comments; Jack and I exchange banter like this every day, 24/7."

"But I'm not Jack."

Crow winced. "Good point. Anywho, let's return to our conversation and play philosopher again," he suggested mischievously. "I already told you what I believe about the people life brings to your front door. Now I'd like to hear what you believe about the people you meet."

"Alright, I'll tell you what I believe," I said, feeling somehow strange in my stomach. It was as if a giant hand of steel had just grabbed it and squeezed it hard. But I trusted him and since he was so willing to hear me out, I could definitely let him know.

He smirked as I took a deep breath. For some reason, I just wanted to yell at him. But I didn't. It wasn't his fault after all. He had just spoken the truth of what he believed, regardless of the fact that he'd gotten me angry at the same time. Plus, I was trying to act as properly and nicely as I could, since it was our first date. So far I had only insulted him and mocked him in jest. I personally thought I was off to a great start.

"Well…?" Nudging me, he arched an eyebrow, waiting for me to start talking. "I'm all ears."

"I'll bet you are," I muttered. I cleared my throat and forced a smile. "Well, in life you will meet many people. One day, you'll realize that every person has their own role. For example, just like you said, some will use you…" I gritted my teeth, "… some will test you, others will love you..." I peeked at him to see his face but he hadn't moved a muscle. In fact I was absolutely positive that he was holding his breath. "...others will teach you...the list goes on and on."

There was a slight pause before I heard him take a deep breath; _yes, he was holding his breath_. "In which category do I belong then?" he stared with great expectation.

"You?" I reacted immediately with surprise. I didn't think he'd ask me right off the bat, "Well, you are one of the people who's meant to really annoy me and piss me off," I snapped, a bit irritated.

That was personal and I wasn't going to tell him.

Crow pouted like a kid. He threw me a sad look. "Why are you so mean? And…Do I really make you that mad?"

Well he did make me mad at times, but that wasn't the only thing he did. Sure, he was one strange guy –totally unpredictable, funny, stupid...but he had his bright moments too.

"Oh, Crow, you really are a funny guy, but to answer your question properly, I think that you belong to more than one category."

His face lit up with a huge grin. "I know, because I can make you laugh too."

I laughed a pure laugh. He was right, but to be honest with myself, Crow was one of the few rare and amazing people who brought out the best in me. It was a hidden side of myself that I thought I had lost forever, but he brought it to the surface every single time. That was what made him a truly important man in my life.

And I wanted him to remain in my life. Everything about him...his presence, his exasperating grin, his funny appearance, his childish side, his mature side, his overprotective side...Good lord, he had so many layers. But everything about him comforted me and I liked that.

* * *

_LOL! Yeah Crow has many layers but you too Sherry...**  
**_

_Special thanks to my lovely betas dang3r0usl0v3 and BlackRoseDragonCK!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: **www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822** (remove spaces).  
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_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	14. Happy hours

**Chapter 14 – Happy hours**

_Sherry's POV_

"I have no idea of what you're thinking, but please keep thinking it 'cuz your smile is amazing!" I heard Crow saying and a strange flash shone in his eyes.

"What?"

"You're so beautiful when you smile...but you know what? You're even prettier when you laugh," his cheeks gained a pink hue. This time, he didn't try to look away.

"T-thanks," I muttered, feeling heat on my own cheeks.

I was thinking of how happy I was due to Crow's presence in my life. Apparently, my feelings were too strong and reflected all over my face. Otherwise he wouldn't have been staring at me like this now, smiling with warmth, not daring to look away. I saw in his eyes that he wasn't lying, He actually meant it –he did find me pretty. Well, there was one more triumph on his side.

My heart kicked in my chest. I wasn't used to compliments like this and I was surprised about how much I enjoyed it; even though it wasn't the first time that someone had complimented me. I knew perfectly well that wasn't ugly but it was the first time I'd paid attention. The feeling was kind of new but joyful.

"May I ask why you didn't ask me to tell you what I was thinking?" I wondered.

Crow smiled and shrugged. "I guessed you were thinking something good but also personal and you wouldn't tell me if I was asking you."

"You guessed right," I smiled too.

"I know," Crow grinned.

I lifted an eyebrow. "Don't think too much of yourself, OK?"

"I won't," he assured. He emptied his bottle. "And now that you've finally relaxed and I can see that your mind is distracted from all your troubles, let's make ourselves happier, shall we?"

"Happier? What you mean?"

Crow winked. He stood up, taking my hand. "Come, we have a lot to do. We're on a date, remember?"

I smiled and let him help me up. Even if it was a bit awkward, walking in the park holding hands with Crow, for an unknown reason, I didn't pull my hand from his. I actually knitted my fingers with his, smiling. It felt so nice to hold his hand –so safe and happy. I knew that I could protect myself, but the safety I felt with Crow was completely different...not to mention the strong heartbeat and the tingling sensation in the places where my skin touched his.

"Where are we going?"

"To the playground," he announced happily.

"Don't you think we're a bit old to go there?"

Crow only shook his head. "The playground is Kokoro's favorite place."

"Yeah, I bet it is, but I'm not a little girl."

"You're not?" Crow turned to give me a stunned glance.

He gave me the impression that his gaze was able to see through me, beyond my face and straight to my heart. It wasn't a bad feeling, but it wasn't a pleasant one either.

"Umm, no, I'm not," I muttered.

Crow put one finger on his chin and one more on his cheek, skeptical. "Well, that's too bad, because we're all kids… I mean, everyone has a childish side."

"Then I think I'm the only exception," I said coldly.

"There are no exceptions. Come on!" Crow insisted.

He pulled me with him to the playground and put me in a seat on the swing -_how embarrassing!_- as he stood behind me.

"You want me to swing you?" he asked politely. I caught a hint of joy in his voice.

Crow, you bastard! How dare he mess with me like that? My eyes widened in terror. "Of course not!"

Crow chuckled and gave me little push. "Are you sure?"

"Crow Hogan, if you do that again I'll kick your smart-ass, understood?" I was already feeling awkward having him push me on the swing.

This time he took my warning seriously. "OK, let's see if you can go higher than me," and he sat down in the next swing. He started to move back and forth.

"You're joking, right?" I blinked, quite surprised.

"Why do I get the feeling that you don't know how to swing yourself?" Crow asked as he gained speed.

"Of course I know!" I exclaimed, only to hear his chuckle.

"Why don't I believe you? But don't worry, Kokoro doesn't know either so I'll push you," and with this, he stopped sharply. He got ready to push me up.

"Crow, I assure you that I know perfectly-"

"You sure?" he cut me off.

I nodded. Boosting, I began to move back and forth, getting more speed. "See?"

"Cool, but I bet you're afraid to go as high as I go," he grinned and followed my example, moving with force.

"The only thing I'm afraid of is you crying when I beat you!" I shouted and moved faster.

"Prove it!" Crow challenged. He was grinning from ear to ear.

After a couple of minutes, we were ready to fly. Surprised, I blinked when I saw Crow jump from his swing into the air and land right on the ground. "Wow!"

"Crow, are you OK?"

"Sure!" he assured me, turning in my direction. "Man, I had to wait many years to do that. I usually come here with my little orphans and I don't want to do anything reckless because they'll want to mimic my example. What do you think, Sherry? Can you do it?"

"Crow, I'm wearing a dress, remember?"

"Ah yeah, you're right," he said as his eyes moved to my outfit.

Dismounting, walked over to him, smiling. "I can't believe what you made me do, Crow. You are too funny."

"You see? Everyone has a childish side –even you," he took my hand again, taking a look around. "You want to go to the lake with the ducks?"

I shrugged. "Sure. If you want, we can go."

* * *

_Crow is sneaky! But you like it Sherry, admit it... ;)_

_Special thanks to my lovely beta BlackRoseDragonCK!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: **www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822** (remove spaces).  
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_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	15. Butterflies

**Chapter 15 – Butterflies**

_Sherry's POV_

_I know that as long I'm with you, I will have a good time, even if I find myself in an empty room 2x2._ I wanted to add, but stopped myself the last minute. That would be too much for his ego, but it was true.

Crow was such a strange man. He could go from an annoying idiot to a caring mentor to a funny companion. _I wonder what he'd be like as boyfriend_… I shook my head. Because of his strange contrast, I knew that the day I got bored at his presence would never come, _ever_!

The hours I spent with him, the way he made me feel, the joy, the laughter, his touch every time he took my hand, even the way he looked at me –everything about him made me want more. I wanted more of his jokes, more of his smile, even more of his annoying grin. I wanted to hear more about his thoughts and advice, about life and other subjects. But I wanted more of _him_ most of all...more of Crow Hogan, that strange character…

Nothing from my past had ever crossed my mind today. I had spent the day with Crow doing several things that, under my normal conditions, I never would have done. I'd fed the ducks, I'd walked around park holding Crow's hand, we had spent hours talking –actually laughing. Actually, he was making jokes and messing with me while I was laughing.

When the sun started to set down on the horizon, Crow bought some snacks. He insisted on paying and glared at me when I tried to protest. We then returned to the picnic area.

"I'm starving. Well, I don't know about you but I had a great time," he muttered, taking a massive bite from his egg sandwich.

I smiled. "I dare to admit that you've honored your promise above and beyond the call. I relaxed, had a good time, was entertained... have you any idea the last time I went to a playground?"

"Nope, but I guess it was many years ago."

"I can't even recall…" I chuckled.

"If you make a girl laugh, you can make her do anything!" he commented.

"You thought that?"

"Hell no. It was something Martha used to say when I was younger. Even though I only got the meaning of it years after," he chuckled.

Intrigued, I stared at him. He was such an interesting guy. I had never met anyone like him before. He looked like a kid but he could talk like a friend and father too. He was funny, living his life to the fullest and urging me to do the same. When I'd first met him, I hadn't bothered to get to know him better. Yet now, the only reason why I was still there was him. I was glad he had asked me out on a date. I suspected that Crow liked me and… I thought I liked him too –at least I enjoyed his company. It was my first date and I had had a great time, but I wondered what was next. What did people do on dates? Was he going to...?

"Aren't you hungry?" he asked suddenly, watching me in utter confusion and shattering my thoughts.

My heart bounced in my chest as he moved his hand closer to mine. I held my breath. Then I pouted when all he did was pick up his juice. I'd thought he wanted to hold my hand.

"Sherry?"

"Uh, I'm… I was thinking," I murmured and I started eating too without much appetite. The truth was that I wasn't very hungry. It was strange since I hadn't eaten much all day.

But the strangest thing of all was that I felt as if my stomach was already full… yeah, full of butterflies. I had spent a wonderful day with Crow and now I was feeling queer –too queer. Why was my heart beating faster and _why the heck did I want him to hold my hand again?_

"Is everything alright? Are you thinking about your past?" Crow gave me a tense look.

I shook my head, feeling awkward. "Aw no, no I wasn't. I was just thinking…" If only he knew what I was thinking. "Crow…" I muttered and blushed when he lifted his eyes to meet mine. I then realized that I had called out his name without a specific reason. I smiled shyly.

"You're very cute when you smile," Crow said, learning forward closer to my face.

I swallowed with difficulty.

"And you're also cute when you blush," he added only to make me blush more.

But I didn't pay attention. My mind refused to work.

"C-can I ask you something?"

"Anything," he whispered. He refused to free me from his gaze.

"I-I don't know if you have other plans for today, but if it's not too much trouble, can we visit the Daedalus Bridge after we eat?"

I had no idea why I was asking this, but somehow I wanted to be there. I wanted to see that place again, since it was the first place I had felt so nice and finally opened up my heart. The last time Crow had brought me here to the park to relax, we had gone there afterward.

I had visited that place a couple of times alone after the Ark Grande incident simply because I felt comfortable and familiar there. Crow showed me the dark sky and the water with millions of stars reflected on its surface. I wasn't sure why… but since that day, Daedalus Bridge had become a special place for me and I wanted to go there again. I thought it was a perfect idea for my date with Crow, but I wasn't sure about him.

Crow smiled –not a smirk or grin but a pure warm smile. "Of course we can."

Well, I was wondering without a reason...

"Sherry?" he whispered hoarsely. His face was now only inches away.

"Yes?" I muttered as my breath stuck on my throat, but he didn't move. He stayed there, looking deep into my eye. His gaze was flaming hot.

I felt my throat grow dry and I licked my lips to moisten them. My mind went blank; I couldn't think of anything. Crow was watching my every move, a strange flash smoldering in his eyes. It was like a fire was burning me from the inside. And then he moved closer. At the same time, my heart skipped a beat.

_Is he going to do what I think he will do?_

* * *

_OMG! Crow what are you going to do? What will happen? Stick with me until the next chapter!_

_Special thanks to my lovely beta BlackRoseDragonCK!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: **www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822** (remove spaces).  
_

_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	16. Duty

**Chapter 16 – Duty**

_Crow's POV_

I was staring into the most beautiful eyes in the whole world and couldn't believe it. The owner was ten times prettier and she was here on a date with me. I bet that I was the luckiest man on earth to be here with Sherry. I had a feeling that she liked the fact that she was here with me too.

Studying her closely, I watched her every move, not daring to take my eyes off her. Even though something was telling how lucky I was, my mind was blank like a piece of paper, totally charmed by her presence and her beautiful smile. I couldn't take my eyes from her, even if I wanted to.

My mouth was dry and I didn't know what I was doing. I supposed I let nature guide my body. My heart was beating like crazy, feeling myself moving closer to her face. I was so close –I was able to see my mirror image in her eyes. I had kissed many girls before, but it was the first time I had felt so nervous, so tense, so…

Something stopped me at the last minute, calling impatiently for my attention. I blinked a couple of times. I pulled back to my seat and tried to catch my breath again.

It was a persistent and annoying sound that dragged me out of my own personal trance. My phone was ringing. I pulled my gaze from hers to check the calling number. Although it wasn't from my office, I had a bad feeling. This couldn't be good. Mentally I wished it wasn't work, although the odds seemed to be against me.

"Excuse me for a moment," I muttered and placed my mobile on my ear. "This is Officer Hogan," I answered the call formally.

I heard Sherry giggling lightly. I choked on a chuckle, watching her with the corner of my eye. She was so pretty and when she laughed, she was downright gorgeous.

A female voice filled with agony and dripping with fear almost cried in my ear. "Crow! Oh, thank goodness!"

Bewildered, I blinked a couple of times and tried to focus. Somehow, the voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't recall where I'd heard it or who its owner was. I was sure of only one thing. I was right –this couldn't be good.

"Umm, who is this?" I asked politely, pressing myself at the same time to remember.

"It's me, Stephanie. Don't you remember me?" her voiced dropped in bitterness.

"Ummm," I hummed awkwardly. I felt like an idiot.

_Stephanie? How many Stephanies do I know? _

"The waitress for the café La Geen," she added in hurry.

My eyes widened as I finally remembered her –the cute brunette with the chocolate eyes who was an avid member of Jack Altas' fan club.

"Aw yeah, sure I remember you, Stephanie. So how are you? Everything OK?" I wanted to face-palm. _What was I asking her this? _Clearly, not only was she _not_ OK, but she was far from it. Upon hearing her answer on the other line, I knew I was right.

"No!" she cried.

"What happened?"

"Someone broke into my apartment! I'm so sorry to bother you, but I didn't know what to do. Jack is missing… Yusei is… Well, you're a cop, you can help me!" she continued in the same tone.

Someone had broken into her apartment… OK, now I knew why she was yelling. Alright, I decided I could put the random pieces of information together, but still I needed more evidence. My policeman's interest was piqued.

"Can you explain what happened?" I asked civilly again.

She paused for a moment, probably trying to recover from shock and transition to a position to talk properly. "I was at work. I came home and found the front door half open, but I'm sure I locked the door in the morning, even if I was running to go to work… you know, I didn't heard my clock alarm… but I'm sure I locked the door. Now it's half open, but…"

She was still shouting and it was impossible for me to follow. I cut her off gently. "Stephanie, first please calm down. Second, where are you now? In your apartment?"

"Oh no, I'm too scared to go inside. Crow, I don't know what to do. Can you come?" she pleaded.

I blinked, confused. She sounded desperate, but still… "Actually it's my day off today and I'm not at the office. But if you call the police center someone else can come."

"Please! I'm really sorry, but you know me and I know you. You're Jack's friend too –I trust you, so please!" she begged this time.

I bit my tongue. I was sure that any other cop would do the job right but Stephanie didn't sound well and she was begging me to come. Even if it was my day off, I was still a cop. I was ready to offer my services if needed –let alone if it was someone I knew and particularly a girl. But I was already out with a girl and she wasn't _just _a girl!

I saw Sherry with the corner of my eyes. She was waiting for me to hang up patiently. I sighed heavily, wondering how badly she would take it when I told her that we couldn't go to Daedalus Bridge. Not only that, but I would have to leave her soon. But I had no choice –I was a cop.

Stephanie was waiting for my answer.

"OK," I said after a small pause. "Tell me your address."

I heard her sigh in relief, but I sensed Sherry stirring in her seat.

"Listen, stay there and don't move. I'll be there soon."

At least I hoped I would. I had no idea if I would live to see another day after I announced the news to the blonde girl before me.

"Thank you!" Stephanie exclaimed.

I hung up the phone and turned to face my date.

"Is everything OK?" Sherry asked. Hearing the tone of her voice, I could tell she already knew the answer.

I hummed uneasily. "Ummm, actually it's not. I'm really sorry but… do you mind if we go to Daedalus Bridge another day?"

"What?" she reacted with wide eyes. A hint of anger lurked in her voice.

"You see… duty calls and I have to go," I muttered, looking away and feeling like a terrible person. I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to leave Sherry, especially since this was our first date.

"You have to go?"

* * *

_Really Crow, what was that? You have to go? :(_

_Special thanks to my lovely beta BlackRoseDragonCK!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: **www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822** (remove spaces).  
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_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	17. Jealous

**Chapter 17 – Jealous**

_Sherry's POV_

"You have to go?" I repeated his last words, absolutely astonished. He couldn't go! We were on a date for crying out loud!

I stared at him confused. He was so funny. Crow's reactions changed from casual to formal in a second. It was faster than traffic lights. That man always found new ways to surprise me and make me laugh so easily. He didn't have to strive for it anymore and I thought it was me, not him. He was the same –an annoying, caring, awesome idiot guy. But I had changed a lot since the day he and I had come together.

Back then, I had been completely indifferent toward him… but look now. I was here on a date with Crow Hogan and I was really glad about it. I was waiting patiently for him to finish his call and go on with our date when I heard something that made my heart sink in my chest. My temper flared a little.

Crow nodded and checked the time from his phone. Then he lifted his head to meet my eyes. "Sherry, I can't tell you how sorry I am. I really don't want to leave you… but you see, work finds me wherever I go and…"

"What you mean work? What happened?" I felt my heartbeats rising with my tempter.

_What the hell happened this time?_

Crow gave a hesitant, sad smile, looking at me apologetically. I had to fight my desire to slap him in the face. This was my first date with Crow –the first date I'd ever had in my whole life. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. OK, we did spend half of the day together. Actually, we were at the end of our date. But still… _why did he have to go?_

We had one more place to visit and I really wanted to go there, not to mention that Crow had already agreed to take me to the Daedalus Bridge. But now he had to leave and I had no choice but to go there alone or not go there at all. It wasn't fair! Totally not fair.

Crow couldn't leave me on our first date. Because if he did, I would… I clenched my fists, trying to restrain myself. It wasn't easy. I did my best today to be polite, but I was not made of stone. I didn't have an endless source of patience or understanding. I had my limits and at that moment, I found myself reaching them.

If Crow left me here, he didn't have to bother to call me again. I lifted my eyes to glare at him. Crow was still looking at me sadly, but something in his eyes captured me. My breath choked in my throat and I felt ashamed of myself.

He'd said something about work. Crow was a cop! Maybe something important _did_ happen and he had no choice but to answer. Perhaps one of his superiors was even angry at him and here I was, keeping him from doing his job.

_'C'mon, Sherry, pull yourself together,'_ I scolded myself.

"I'm sorry, Sherry, I really don't want to leave."

I bit my tongue. "I don't want you to leave either, but if it's a necessity…"

"Being a cop is a nice job, but sometimes it's hard," Crow muttered, looking away like he was talking to himself.

"Crow, what happened?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from yelling. It took quite the stringent effort.

"Do you remember a girl with brown hair and eyes who was with us in our garage when you came to congratulate us for our first victory?" he asked me.

I blinked. What he was asking me? More importantly, why was he asking such a random thing? Or at least I thought it was random.

"No," I replied indifferently.

"She works as a waitress for the café La Geen."

"I don't follow. What about her?"

"She's also a huge fan of Jack Atlas…"

I started to run out of patience. I had no idea why he had brought her into the picture. "Look, I don't know who she is. Can you tell me what happened and stop asking me if I remember a waitress?"

"Um, sorry," Crow rubbed his neck awkwardly. "You see, the call was from her. Someone broke into her apartment and she freaked out. So I have to step in and resolve the situation."

"What?!" I couldn't help but burst out. "C'mon Crow, I bet there are many police officers who can go settle things down. You're not the only cop in the city."

I was starting losing my self-control again. I thought it was something important. I never thought I would hear about a freaking stupid fan girl of Jack Atlas, simply because someone brought into her house. This was ridiculous!

"I know Sherry and I agree with you. But you see, Stephanie's also a friend and she begged me to go. I tried to avoid it, but…"

Crow avoided my gaze and I snarled, irritated. For an unknown reason, I felt weird in my stomach, as if something large and scaly had erupted into life, clawing at my insides.

_So she's a friend too?_ Crow had called her by her name. But why didn't _Stephanie_ call Jack then? She was his fan after all. She should have contacted him if she was looking for a friend and not just a cop.

Hot blood seemed to flood my brain so that all the thoughts were extinguished and replaced by a savage urge to give her a lesson to remember. I clenched my fists again. Apparently she was not looking only for a cop. Since Jack was too distracted by the reporter girl, maybe she had found another guy to run after. Well I had some news for her –Crow was taken!

Then reality hit me in the face at full force. _Taken? Why would I say such a thing?_ Crow was not taken. I swallowed hard. Wrestling with this sudden madness, I heard Crow's voice as though from a great distance.

"I didn't want to upset you so much. I can call her again and tell her I won't go if that makes you feel better."

My eyes widened in shock and I forced myself to come back into my right mind. What the hell happened to me to make me act like this? I took a deep breath, trying my best to calm my nerves and the newborn monster inside me. I was so confused at myself that all I wanted was for him to leave as soon as possible so that I could deal with my sudden feelings alone.

"No!" I rushed to say. "She needs help and you promised you'd be there. You must go."

"But I promised you that I…"

"I will be OK," I gave a faltering smile. Where I found the strength to smile is still a mystery.

"But…"

"I will be fine Crow," I insisted. "But Stephanie won't. So go!"

Smiling, Crow nodded with relief. He held my hand and stared into my eyes. I tried to keep my face devoid of my emotions.

"Thank you Sherry. But I won't forget my promise to you. We _will_ go to Daedalus Bridge. I bet it's nothing serious and I'll be done by tomorrow. So after work, we will go wherever you want."

I nodded, saying nothing because I didn't trust my voice. It was only after he left that the panic started to set in. I was sitting all alone in the park, eyes blank, not daring to blink as the realization of my actions came faster than lighting.

"Am I… _jealous_?" I whispered.

I still couldn't believe the words that had come out of my mouth.

* * *

_I want to thank a good friend for giving the nice idea of making Sherry jealous! Aw, you know who you are! ;)_

_Special thanks to my lovely beta BlackRoseDragonCK!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: **www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822** (remove spaces).  
_

_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	18. lifesaver

**Chapter 18 – lifesaver**

_Crow's POV_

"Oh man!" I muttered bitterly, looking at my cell-phone and the file on my desk. "She'll kill me if I cancel it again."

I didn't know what to do. Actually I knew… but I didn't like it. I hated to break promises, let alone break them twice. And Sherry was _not_ the kind of girl who liked being stood up, _again_. But it was out of my hands. I sighed heavily. Why did this guy have to break into Stephanie's apartment yesterday for crying out loud? In fact why did he have to break inside in the first place? He had picked the worst day ever—my date day with Sherry.

"Crow?" I heard a calm voice behind me. "Is everything ok?"

"Ah!" I yelped and nearly fell out of my seat.

"Sorry," Kazama, one of my partners, sounded like he was trying to keep from laughing. I couldn't blame him.

"Nah, it's OK. I was thinking of something…wasn't paying attention," I replied a bit awkwardly.

"Is everything ok?" Kazama asked, eyeing my every move.

"Yup, everything's cool," I said a little too fast before I sighed. _Yeah I wish_…

"You know, for someone who's about to be murdered by a woman, you look really calm, I must say."

"What?" I gasped.

"Someone is going to kill you if you cancel something."

I needed only a moment to realize what he was saying. Then I glared at him, mostly because I felt uneasy.

"Sorry, I was near and I heard you," he apologized.

I made a hastily smile. "It's OK. After all, I was talking aloud. You can't shut your ears."

"By the way, why _are _you afraid for your physical integrity?"

"Umm," I hummed nervously. "I made a promise and now I have to cancel. Work finds me at the most inappropriate times. Honestly, someone out there must really hate me."

"What happened?" he knitted his eyebrows. "If you're OK with telling me of course."

I scratched the back of my head, thinking. It was no top secret after all and maybe he knew a way to avoid Sherry's murderous mood. I gestured for him to sit down.

"I was on my date yesterday," I started. "Until an old friend called me in a very bad mood. Someone broke into her apartment while she was at work so I had to leave and go find her before something else happened to her."

He narrowed his eyes, puzzled. "No one else could go to investigate it?"

I shook my head. "I told her that I was busy but she was a bit sensitive and really scared."

"You like her?" Kazama asked me calmly. His question caught me out of guards.

"What?" I looked at him in utter confusion before I realized what he was trying to ask. "Ah! Oh no, I don't like Stephanie… I mean I do, but no."

He gave me a confused glance.

My words made no sense. "She's a friend, that's all," I smiled when he looked at me closely. "And she's working close to our garage too. She got scared seeing her locker broken and she knows I'm a cop, so she called me to help her. I couldn't say no."

"I see," he mused skeptically. "And what about your date?"

"Aw," I groaned. "I explained the situation and I think she understood, but she wasn't happy about it."

"You left her in order to go to console another girl," Kazama summarized. "I bet she's more than unhappy, Crow. I'm sorry to be the bearer of rotten news, but she must be really mad too."

I shook my head. "I know, and she has a really bad temper too."

"You found yourself between two girls," he smiled meaningfully. I cracked a smiled, knowing he was just messing with me. "That's why you said she's going to kill you?"

I nodded. "I had to leave her yesterday, but I promised her that today I would meet her again."

"Let me guess—you can't because the case with the other girl is too complicated and you're not done yet, am I right?" he looked me with sympathy.

I nodded again and sighed heavily. "Unfortunately you're right. Stephanie is still in shock."

She was too sensitive in my opinion but I couldn't just leave her like that.

"You mind?" Kazama asked with his eyes on my folder.

"Help yourself," I shrugged.

He took my file and started reading it carefully. I didn't pay much attention. I was thinking of Sherry and Stephanie and I huffed. Women! Such strange creatures...

"Hey Crow, you know where Jack is?" he asked suddenly, his eyes still on my report.

"Umm, I have no idea Kazama. Honestly, that guy needs a strong kick in his smart-ass sometimes," I sneered.

"You mean he's missing?"

"I haven't seen him for awhile now."

He peeked up from the papers. "You're not worried about him?"

"Trust me," I hit my chest. "Jack can take care of himself, even when all the evidence is against him. I know he's okay. He's just the typical asshole who likes others worrying about him. I assure you that he is perfectly fine."

"Yeah, but have you any idea where is he?" he insisted.

"Hm, probably on a duel trip, practicing. It wouldn't be the first time."

"Hmmm," he hummed skeptically. "OK, and this other girl, your date…is she your girlfriend?"

I blinked, blushing deeply. "W-what?" I reacted immediately. "Umm no, she's not."

"You want her to be?" he asked coolly, still looking at the file.

_Do I want her to be?_ If I could try to find a way to stay alive after her foul temper then I would see. But I couldn't deny that I thought about her a lot. She was very pretty and so strange. She was cold and warm the same time—strong and sensitive and full of emotion. But that was personal information and I wasn't sure if I wanted to share it…

"OK," Kazama said with determination, closing the folder and lifted his eyes to me. "Let's make a deal. I will take over your case and you can go to meet your date again," he stood up, taking my file with him.

Bewildered, I stared at him. My jaw dropped. He was offering to help me, but why? Then, I reviewed my thoughts. Kazama was a lifesaver and I didn't want to waste time uncovering his motives now. I needed to agree before he changed his mind. "Umm, t-thanks man, but…"

"One more thing, when you meet her, just don't waste any more time. Kiss your girl, OK?" he winked and walked away, leaving me blushing like mad.

_Kiss my girl?_

* * *

_I'm so so so so sorry for my late update… but I finally sent this story for beta-reading and it's also summer… which means less time, odd but true. But I promise you guys that I will finish this story! Just a little patience :) Many chapters for editing… ;)_

_Special thanks to my lovely beta BlackRoseDragonCK!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822 (remove spaces). You will find my OCs sketches for my upcoming story too ;)_

_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


	19. Loneliness

**Chapter 19 – Loneliness**

_Sherry's POV_

I took a deep breath, lifting my eyes up to stare at the dark sky. A bright, full moon was shining like a massive pearl, covering the lights of the stars. _It was wonderful!_ It was like one of those pictures that make you feel so small in a vast space.

Some claimed that the world's beauty was enough, to take away every problem and anxiety, making them look so… so trivial. _And they are right._ The beauty around me, could take away so many of my awful and unpleasant thoughts, but… not _all_ of them. In the back of my mind, a terrible memory was still alive. This night only brought it to the surface. But against all odds, I was trying my best to keep my mind elsewhere. I didn't want to remember.

It was so frustrating that I couldn't be honest. I realized that it was so lonely... _I_ was so lonely. Pretending to be so strong and stubborn didn't work out too well. It had worked at first, but then… _he_ had entered the picture, turning my life upside down. He had broken down all of my walls of defense, opened my eyes, but most important of all… entered my _heart_.

It was night, with a full moon, and the night was so strange. Like a veil, soft as silk, it covered the world, almost transforming it. It was one of those days when I wanted more than anything to be alone. Me and my thoughts... me and my feelings… me and my memories. I had avoided everyone and everything today. Right now, I was enjoying a peaceful break at the beach. If anything, I have few chances – actually almost zero- that someone would find me here or interrupt me from my deep concentration.

My phone rang maybe for the hundredth time today, but I simply ignored it. I didn't want to talk or see anyone. _Damn!_ I cursed one more time when I felt it ring again within my pocket. _Why today, of all days?_ I had picked one day to hide myself and _that day_ my phone didn't shut up for one freaking moment! It stopped only to start again. Momentarily, I wondered why I had taken it with me in the first place. Secretly I knew the answer to this question, but I didn't want to admit it yet. I let it ring and ring until it hushed again and lay still. I didn't dare to check the name. I guess I was a coward. The mere thought made my stomach stir.

I'm not a coward! _I'm not_… it just… I bit my lower lip hard.

"Damn you, Crow Hogan!" I muttered. "Damn you and your annoying grin, and everything else that has something to do with you!"

One more reason I was avoiding everyone was _him_! And every time I thought this, I had to suppress an inner urge to hit something. For one of the few times in my life, I felt so confused. To be more specific... this was the first time I'd felt this way. Something so warm was covering me. It was such a strange feeling, so hot… almost poignantly so, burning me in a heavenly hell.

_Why do I feel like this?_

Why had I been jealous when he mentioned this girl, Stephanie? Why was I avoiding checking my call list? This was why I didn't _accidentally_ forget my mobile back at home…because I wanted him to call me. But why? I shook my head, trying to clear up my thoughts, but…

"Oh, for God's sake, Sherry!" I scolded myself in a strict voice.

I decided I should stop wallowing in denial and face the truth… the _scary_ truth. I couldn't get Crow out of my head –not even for one minute. He was the one who gaves me this kind of feeling after all. And I needed to explain why… actually, I knew why, so I thought I needed time to accept it, or push it away. I needed some time away from him to think, to clear up the confusion that he had created in me.

He had made me jealous for crying out loud! _Me!_ Was that even possible? I still couldn't believe it. Being with him was so great and yet so scary! So... _strange_! I had no other word to describe the feeling. All logic must have just vanished from my brain. Otherwise, I couldn't explain why I was jealous.

I face-palmed. Me… _jealous?_ I still couldn't believe it. And why the hell did I want to see him right now? Was it because he had pissed me off and I wanted to land my fist in his annoying face? Or was there something else?

I'd chosen only one night to stay away from him and yet I wanted to see him so desperately. His absence –even if I didn't want him to be around him right now- only made me feel more anguished… I felt like I was going to burst at any time. Such strong feelings were new to me. It was the first time I'd ever felt like this and something was telling that there was only one way to answer everything. But I tried my best to come up with a different one. It was kind of pathetic, I thought.

This warmness was still burning me. I had only known the opposite feeling –being cold as ice, feeling nothing but emptiness, filling with anger and an undead hunger for revenge. I had felt and acted with nothing but dark feelings and I had been fine, perfectly fine… or was I? I had also be fine with Crow on our date. I had never had such a great time before. Recalling my time with him, I couldn't help but feel grateful and happy… and…

And then her name filled the air and I was ready to lost control. Luckily, I had held myself back, but now... The suppressed feeling started to waver again, only to make me bury my face in my palms. Who was I kidding? _Him, them, or myself?_

I was not like those stupid people who cast aside all logic and let their feeling rule their minds… After all… _only fools fall in love…_

"Oh well," I murmured to myself, as I finally gave up. It was pointless to try to convince myself the opposite and it only made things worst. "I guess I'm one of _them_."

And then I looked up, staring at the dark sky and the full moon. I closed my eyes. I took deep breaths. For an unknown reason, my heart was dancing in my chest and I knew perfectly well for whom it was beating. I clutched my fists, gritting my teeth at the same time, trying to take control of my emotions. I had never thought of myself like this. I was always so strong, so sure and here I had let a man change my whole being. I was trying my best to avoid him, but I wanted to see him again so much.

I chuckled bitterly. Now that I had finally cleared up my feeling for Crow and accepted them, my mind filled with other things –darker and worse things in many ways. I huffed as I sat back in the cold sand. This was going to be a _long_ night, trying to face my inner fears and my worst nightmares. I wasn't that strong and cold anymore… If anything, it wouldn't last forever.

Every day may not be something good or treat you well, but there is something good in every day. _Who taught me that?_ And I was sure, I believed and I wanted to believe that everything would be OK. Everything would be better. After all… tomorrow was another day.

* * *

_Aw Sherry don't worry... you see tomorrow IS another day..._

_Special thanks to my lovely beta BlackRoseDragonCK!_

_Please follow and like me in my FB page: **www . facebook pages / Melan-Anime / 517827508268822** (remove spaces).  
_

_I hope you liked it and review! ^_^_


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